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I was standing in line the other day with a
friend while we were waiting to order an ice cream.
And as we waited, we each struck up
conversations with the people in line around us.
Just random talk. It was so unusual in this day and
age that it caught my attention.
But WHY did it feel so unusual? Because
we’ve lost that human connection with our noses
buried in our phones (and no, the irony of me
writing this online isn’t lost on me). We don’t
often have that moment to talk, smile, and laugh
with a complete stranger.
My grandfather was always one to talk with
anyone about anything (he was proud of his ability
to yak with anyone and would say the most ridiculous
lines to engage with people). I have that skill,
too, but it doesn’t come out as often as I’d like
anymore.
Our society is weird that way. So much
technology. You can’t just pick up the phone and
call a company or a store and talk with someone.
These kids today mostly text and will only call when
it's necessary. It’s about not knowing
your neighbors the same way. (Not that knowing them
too well is a good thing sometimes)
I was remembering a story from years ago.
They were installing the first automated toll booths
on a few highways. And the Miami Herald interviewed
some people who lamented the move to automation
because it lacks that personal touch. And one couple
talked about their “meet cute” moment. He drove
through the same toll booth every day, and she was
the toll collector. Their interactions were but a
few moments every day, but they ultimately went on a
date and they were at-that-time happily married.
While that didn’t happen often, it was a
chance for a small amount of human interaction. I
would chat with the toll workers, say something fun,
and sometimes in a random act of kindness I’d hand
them double the amount of the toll and say it was
for me and the car behind me. The person in the car
behind me, who I didn’t know, would now have to
interact with the person and had a moment to tell
their friends about.
We are missing out on that sort of thing all
the time now.
I guess my message here is that we each have
an opportunity to do something more personal. Talk
to that person in line next to you. Talk to the
worker in the store. If you do manage to get someone
on the phone, ask how their day is, and where they
are located. Tell a terrible dad joke randomly to a
stranger. Be kind. And, practice a random act of
kindness.
We can be better. And
it starts with each of us, as individuals.
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