How often do you have a conversation with a stranger that impacts your day? Do you allow your fellow human beings to touch your life through brief encounters? I do and am better off for it. Here are a few examples of what I am talking about.

I seem to be a magnet for older gentlemen when I am at the grocery store. They start conversations with me and my first instinct is to nod politely and get on my busy way. Then I look in their eyes and see the need for human interaction. I end up chatting with them and am happy I did. At the end of the conversation, I can tell that they are a little less lonely. I realize that the conversation made my day a little brighter too.

Earlier this week, I had to go to the grocery store with all three of my sons. Usually I leave them home with Dad but this was during the work week so no such luck. My middle son was acting up in the store and eventually Baby D started getting fussy as well. It was a nightmare of a grocery trip except for three strangers that made it a little less painful. Three different people saw that I was having a difficult shopping experience and took the time to speak to me. Each of them made me smile and I appreciated their kindness. What a difference a stranger can make in your day.

A few weeks ago, I was picking up some take out food and was about to get back in my truck. An older woman was also approaching her car and told me to get in my truck first because it would take her awhile to get in her car. I said thank you and got settled in and was about to drive off. I glanced her way and saw that she finally got settled in her vehicle too. Our windows were down and when she saw my glance, she started telling me about her recent knee surgery. She was down in the dumps because it had already been four months since her surgery and she was still in a lot of pain. We chatted for a few minutes and I tried to give her some encouraging words. She seemed to be more optimistic by the end of the conversation and we said goodbye and parted ways. As I drove home, I thought about how nice it was to have had a meaningful conversation with another human being that I crossed paths with by chance. I think our meeting ended up meaning a lot to both of us.

Everyone is so busy and caught up in the drama of their own lives. Far too often we don’t even notice the people around us. Neighborhoods are not what they used to be and are more like "strangerhoods" these days. What happened to our sense of community and reaching out to our fellow man?

There are a lot of people that take the time to connect with others. There are also many people where it is very obvious that they never bother. As you are going through your busy day, take a look at the people around you. A smile, nod or nice word from you might be all they need to have a happier day.