I want to share something awesome that happened today. This was different than when I’d talk with rideshare (Lyft/Uber) passengers. Yes, they were strangers, and yes, we had conversations, BUT today was different.
Today, I walked up this VERY steep incline of a neighborhood street to get to the grocery store. I’m trying to exercise more, and currently, I am without a vehicle. I could order a rideshare vehicle, but I live too close to a (couple of) supermarket(s) that I feel that’s just money wasted. However, you’d probably think the opposite if you saw that insane street I live on. Think San Franciscoish. Like, seriously, it’s a wicked incline. But I digress.
I had already decided that since McDonald’s is on the way to the grocery store and I haven’t eaten meat nor fast food in three weeks that I’d treat myself to some McDonald’s. Yes, yes, I know fast food is bad. But, hey, once in a while, it is ok, even if it’s not truly ok. 😉
Plus, something really grand happened, and it wouldn’t have if I hadn’t decided to both eat there and dine-in. So there’s that. 🙃
And just what was so grand, you ask? Well, thank you for asking.
What was so grand was that I ended up meeting my future marriage partner.
Nah, JUST KIDDING! 😝
But I did meet a nice elderly lady whom I ended up chatting with for almost two hours. Yes, almost two hours. She was so nice and friendly with a great sense of humor. And an overall cool lady.
I can’t remember exactly how we struck up a conversation. I actually spoke to her first as I thought she didn’t get napkins with her meal, as they forgot to give me some with mine. I had gotten some and had plenty extra, so I got her attention and asked her if she needed any, and she showed me she had some smiled and said thanks. That was it. But then after she finished her meal she smiled and looked at me and made a comment like “I should be cleaning my house” or something like that as she raised her milkshake and chuckled. I told her that coming here once in a while is ok, and it’s a beautiful day, too. She replied with “it is a nice day,” and then I proceeded to tell her that I lived close by and made it up that steep hill. She was amazed by that and made a joke that if she tried, she’d just end up rolling down it.
And from then on, we just kept talking. People came and went. We kept conversing. We talked about everything from her love of traveling and mine to me being a veteran and her father serving in the Navy. The whole time we spoke, we never even got each other’s names until shortly before I had to go – I still needed to get to the grocery store. She shared with me how she lost two close friends to covid within two weeks a part, and I shared about losing my mom to the horrible virus. I really enjoyed talking to her about so much.
But what I really enjoyed the most was just listening to her speak of her adventures and her obvious love for life. She’s a 75 years young woman who inspired me to keep being the way I have been and want to continue to be, which is someone who doesn’t stop loving life. And someone who wants to keep traveling. She was motivational. And I loved that we were both open to having a conversation like we did. I am one to talk to strangers, but in my young 53 years of life, I don’t know if I have ever met anyone like that… in that way. I’m grateful I can say I have now. Especially since today, everyone’s so focused on their smartphones. I suspect if she and I were engrossed in our phones, we would have missed out on that wonderful experience.
As I’m sure some of you wonder how it ended. It was really sweet. She said, “I hope I will see you again.” I told her I’d be there next Wednesday at the same time. She smiled as she went to her car. And y’all, I didn’t have plans to go back to McDonald’s as I’m really not about eating a lot of fast food but I’ll go back next week just to see her again as I really enjoyed our conversation.
A part of me thinks maybe she needed to have someone to talk to. No, she didn’t seem to be lonely as she seemed like one to have plenty of people to talk to, as she seemed close to her siblings and children. But I don’t know, and I could be wrong, but I just feel I was supposed to be there and open to having a conversation with a stranger, that stranger being her.
If she shows up next week, I think she will, I’ll probably give her my number, and if she is lonely and needs someone to talk to, or just would like to keepin touch, I’d be open to being that person for her — but maybe not at McDonald’s. Lol
I’ll end with this. If you can, try to put your phone down and think about being open to having a conversation with a stranger as you never know who you might meet… who may need that conversation, or maybe it will be you who may need it. 🌻
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