identitySPECIALIST

Talk to Strangers

Published by

Lem Usita

April 10, 2012

I know most of you that see this will think – I’m not suppose to talk to strangers. Yes, we teach that to little kids. It’s a great rule – for little kids. Some of you are adults – I don’t think little kids read this blog – but you’re older now. It’s okay to talk to strangers.

What’s more interesting to me – than the fact that adults don’t talk to strangers – is to see how some of those child lessons still arrests some people from doing anything. Some have learned as a kid to not talk to strangers and in many ways are still pretty child-like about their thought processes.

It takes courage to talk to strangers. It takes humility to talk to strangers. Most importantly, you end up missing out on some wonderful interaction with amazing people. Working through this helps you to grow as a person. It helps you to develop your identity.

Tonight, I was standing in light at a restaurant – waiting to order my food. A gentleman behind me had ordered a salad. He happened to say the name of the salad in a French accent. I knew I was going to write this post, but hadn’t yet talked to a stranger. I figure I should try out the idea before I write about it. In our quick interchange, I learned that he lived in Paris and then he explained what the word meant. He commented on the salad I ordered for DC, and then I invited him to have dinner with us. We sat with him for about an hour and had a wonderful time. He had traveled the world. We talked about all the places that we had been and compared stories. He said we needed to go back to Paris when we had an opportunity.

There is something about talking to strangers that really helps us to develop our ideas and our sense of self. When you talk to strangers, you develop your identity. You learn to tell your story and answer questions about yourself. You think through who you are and share that with someone. Try it. Let me know how it goes.

6 responses to “Talk to Strangers”

Nics Cahill

April 11, 2012

“You learn to tell you story and answer questions about yourself. You think through who you are and share that with someone.”

I love talking to strangers, there is something wonderful about it, hearing their story, sharing ours. It is such a blessing and a privilege. There are remarkable people all over the world, and all it takes is a moment, to start a conversation with them.

I love to chat to people I don’t know. Just the other evening, I had an amazing conversation with a Messanic Jew. I walked away inspired, hungry to know more about this culture, and how it is a crucial part of what I believe. How learning more about Judiasm, will unwrap my understanding of things that could almost have become taken for granted, in church circles.

Reply
1. Lem Usita
  
  April 11, 2012
  
  First of all, I had tons of mistakes so thanks for sharing it so that I could edit it. Hahaha.
  
  That conversation that I wrote about last night was a man that had travelled the world. He was a buddhist. It was such great conversation. I like how talking to strangers really helps shape us.
  
  Reply
  1. Nics Cahill
    
    April 12, 2012
    
    It really does shape us. If we allow it too, it opens our minds. I was thinking about the power of words this morning – words really have no beginning or edit once spoken or written, they are out their forever, they become something different to every person. Do we ever really know how powerful our words are, or how they speak into another’s life? These conversations with strangers – I had a couple lastnight – they allow us to connect and speak words full of life, so that when they leave with the words we have spoken, they are left with something good.
    
    Great post Lem.
stephenedwards425

April 11, 2012

Great post and true. The other day I was in a restaurant and passed a table with four ladies, laptops open, and chattering about specialties. I stopped and asked them who they were and what they did for a living. All four were librarians. We had a great time discussing wonderful books to read and the place of librarians in education.

Thanks again for the post.

Be encouraged!

Reply
1. Lem Usita
  
  April 11, 2012
  
  Thanks for sharing that. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
  
  Truly – having the ability to read a random blog and post is exactly what this blog post is talking about. Now, that you’ve done it, we can start to have wonderful dialogue. I also now have the opportunity to learn from you. It’s amazing what talking to strangers can bring to our identities.
  
  Reply
Jay Rando

April 12, 2012

I like it when strangers talk to me, i suppose its because you feel like your there too. I sometimes practice speaking to strangers like at the bus stop or train stop to improve my social skills, i have never really been much of a social person but the last 6 months have been great practice. On the rare occasion i get a ‘good morning’ and get a chat going with people, its actually cool sometimes to see some people so happy first thing in the morning. Great post Lem.

PS: i must speak to more strangers each day 🙂

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