Do You Strike Up Conversations With Strangers? (love, therapy, young)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm happy to engage others in conversation, on occasion. I usually try to just get my business finished and leave, though if I see someone I know I may step aside and chat (I hate it when people block aisles and try not to do it myself)
Last night, my son and I were at the grocery store in the checkout line after his lacrosse practice. The woman ahead of us was about ten years older. She said to me, "You have a nice looking son, there." I thanked her, introduced myself, and we proceeded to have a nice ten-minute chat, at the end of which we each knew how many children we each had, what ages they were, etc. etc. Even the gum-chewing cashier got involved in the discussion. I wasn't in any hurry and nobody was behind us in line, so it was a nice break in our day.
The woman gathered her bags, said good-bye, and left. My son, who is normally a total smart-ass, said, "She was really nice. I liked her." And the teenager said, "That was really cool." It was as if the four of us had experienced a moment of grace in our lives.
I've thought about that conversation since then. As I get older, I find that I enjoy connecting to people, even if I don't know them. I find it interesting the conversations you have with can have with total strangers, when time permits. When I was younger, I would have been polite, but still given her the brush-off.
So, had you faced that situation, would you have muttered 'thanks' to the older lady and looked the other way? Or would you have talked to her?
I talk to everyone, all day long
I firmly believe we are put on this earth to be in relationship with one another - to care, and carry each others burdens.
Life is so much more interesting, fun and fulfilling when we are connected to other people. But that's just me.
Last night, my son and I were at the grocery store in the checkout line after his lacrosse practice. The woman ahead of us was about ten years older. She said to me, "You have a nice looking son, there." I thanked her, introduced myself, and we proceeded to have a nice ten-minute chat, at the end of which we each knew how many children we each had, what ages they were, etc. etc. Even the gum-chewing cashier got involved in the discussion. I wasn't in any hurry and nobody was behind us in line, so it was a nice break in our day.
The woman gathered her bags, said good-bye, and left. My son, who is normally a total smart-ass, said, "She was really nice. I liked her." And the teenager said, "That was really cool." It was as if the four of us had experienced a moment of grace in our lives.
I've thought about that conversation since then. As I get older, I find that I enjoy connecting to people, even if I don't know them. I find it interesting the conversations you have with can have with total strangers, when time permits. When I was younger, I would have been polite, but still given her the brush-off.
So, had you faced that situation, would you have muttered 'thanks' to the older lady and looked the other way? Or would you have talked to her?
I'm a pretty introverted guy, in general, but I find as I'm getting older I can make that small chity chat more easily and aren't always so ucomfortable with it.
I suppose it just depends how my day is going. I sometimes get lost in thought and aren't awlays as aware of my surroudings as I should be.
I've always struck up conversations with random people - I inherited this trait from my parents I guess. My Mother is always chatting to someone or other... sometimes to a point that it gets annoying!
Ultimately it depends on my mood. Sometimes I just don't feel like it and then I would just smile and say thanks. Usually though I would chat. I thought pretty much everyone did this, but I guess that's not the case!
I am too, and I hate crowds or feeling I have to know everyone. In the company, or living room, of people I know, I can be talkative. If I run into someone very cool on a plane or a train, then I have no problem conversing with them. In college, I would do things (movies, day trips, ski, travel) with a very small group of people. I can, and have, gotten up to speak in front of 50 people, though I'm not crazy about it. But that wouldn't make me extroverted.
Sounds like you live in the South, or have taken on Southern tradition.
In the North that doesn't happen so much. I do strike up conversation with tourists on the metro who seem to not know where they're going. It's an easy starter cause I can just initiate by helping them find their way and then go from there.
I want tourists to think DC is friendly!
It's also easy cause they don't need to be anywhere while on the train, so it's not like I'm holding anyone up as long as we say goodbye before one of us gets off. It's one of the few times people in DC aren't in a quasi-NYC rush.
I always converse with random folks - living in a large city, there is always an opportunity for conversation.
I would have chatted her up.
IT'S fun to chat people up/
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
