Simple Kindness Goes a Long Way
Today, while waiting in my favorite grocery store for a prescription to be filled, I was given a pager and set adrift to browse. I had done my grocery shopping just yesterday, so I was in need of absolutely nothing. This store also has a food court. Unfortunately, I also just eaten.
What I did do was make it to the seasonal aisle. Slowly walking down the aisle of Halloween decorations I was admiring things I would never buy. And then I came to the table top stuff, which is usually 
seasonally themed plates and mugs. So pretty. I made eye contact with a fellow browswer who seemed shocked when I spoke to her. "They always have so many tempting items here. I love browsing." The pace of life in Northern Virginia is such that we will often find that eye contact and a smile are rare, no less actually speaking to someone. This is something I do not like about this area. It's changed as I've grown up to be far less friendly in the stranger exchanges department. I like to buck the current system and talk to people.
Well, apparently my fellow shopper felt the same. The two of us chatted it up over the seasonal plates. She seemed a lonely woman and mentioned she lived alone, meaning she didn't need to buy a set of dishes, just enough for her. It's amazing how much I learned about her in such a short time. Her mother passed in October, which made enjoying her favorite season more of a challenge. She had survived what really should have been an unsurvivable accident and here she was, years later talking to a stranger about it in the grocery store. I encouraged her to treat herself to something that caught her eye since she was a walking miracle.
We both left smiling. She made my day when she said, "You are a lovely woman." Shoot. I need to engage strangers in conversation more often. That was really nice to hear, and I'm not even ashamed to say it.
Who have you talked to recently in a situation where you normally wouldn't? Step out of your comfort zone if you haven't done it. It feels good to connect with another human and share a smile.
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