Last spring I met a stranger at a concert. At first I thought he was an annoying drunk who didn't know a single thing about personal space. After a few hours of talking to him, I realized that some strangers in this world are a lot nicer and a lot more genuine than the people we call our friends. I was wrong for misjudging this stranger, and I was wrong for assuming the worst.
I know at a young age we are taught the phrase "stranger danger", but maybe we should forget that phase past a certain point. I know that not all strangers have a friendly agenda, but maybe a simple hello and a smile could turn around someones day.
As I grew up in New Jersey, it was completely rare for me to meet a friendly stranger with a lot of important life lessons to share. This was an iconic moment for me. Here are a few of the things that I took away after meeting this "perfect stranger".
1. There's no age limit on having fun.
Whether you are fifteen, twenty-one, fifty-five, or eighty-two, the fun never has to end. The stranger I met was middle aged and he was the life of the party, literally. I had more fun being around his energy than I've had with people my own age. This man proved that there truly is no age limit on having fun. Life can and should be just as exciting as it is when you're young and crazy. Do yourself a favor and go to that concert, dance like no one is watching, and sing as loud as you can because you deserve to let loose and have fun.
2. Do what you love, and love what you do.
The stranger told me he loved to drink on the weekends. He said he does what he loves and he love what he does. Now I didn't take this one to a literal sense but I twisted it a bit. You have one life, which means there is no time to waste doing the things you despise. Now this could range across any wave in life, so don't take it too literally. If you want to be a surgeon go for it, if you want to be an astronaut and a stripper on the weekends then go for it. There is no rule saying that you can't do this and you can't do that. In other words, follow the pathway your heart has set for you and run wild and free.
3. It's okay to not have it all figured out.
As I am sure I'm not the only one stressing out about my career future or my future in general, the stranger taught me that figuring it all out does not come with age or time. Figuring it all out comes with experience and patience. This man has experienced a lot more than I have he still doesn't have the answers to everything but he was still content and happy and living life to its fullest. I aspired to be like him in that moment. Why do we stress about the future so much? Why not live in the present and stress about it when the time comes?
4. Sharing is caring.
Midway through the eight-hour concert, the stranger came back with a bucket of fries...a bucket. He insisted that all of us eat some as it was his treat to us. Of course we were all hesitant because why should we trust a stranger with food, but we took our chances anyway. This simple gesture of sharing with us was unexpected and sincerely appreciated. Be a good human being, share your fries with a stranger...or not. But sharing is caring.
