Don't Talk To Strangers

That's a message we all learn when we're little and for some of us - it carries through as we get older too. But recently I've found myself pondering whether or not we should follow this rule throughout our lives or whether it's actually a good thing to talk to strangers every once in a while.

Take this morning for example. As we do every week, me, my mum, my brother and my grandma went to Sainsbury's for the weekly food shop. To sum it up briefly: it was dull. Until when we went to the checkout, that is. Normally we're served by somebody who looks and acts as if the world is against them, but today we were served by somebody who - shock horror - actually wanted to have a conversation with us.

He wasn't particularly interesting in that he told us about his interests - because he didn't do that - but he was friendly and he laughed and joked with us as we packed up our shopping and paid. The truth is - he was welcome relief from the monotony of shopping over here. He may enjoy his job, he may not, but my guess is that he understands the difference between enjoying something...and being friendly and humane.

When I was in Croatia I met a random guy halfway down the mountain who stopped and talked to me and two others for about ten minutes while he waited for the people he was with. He was also friendly and asked us about our trip and how long we were there for etc. He told us it had been a pleasure talking to us and that he hoped he'd bump into us again at the campsite we all happened to be staying at. We didn't - but that's not the point. The point is that it's refreshing to talk to people who actually want to have a conversation with you.

Fair enough not talking to strangers when you're a child or perhaps even as a teenager, but I can't help but believe that it's actually a good idea to indulge yourself in a conversation with someone you've never met before and will probably never see again every once in a while. Obviously, there's a fine line between that and establishing regular contact with complete strangers, but that's another post entirely...

Besos ♥
Rachel