For my assignment, I people-watched in the ISE building for a while. As I sat there pretending to do my work, I saw two girls who seemed to be meeting for the first time as they were being introduced through a mutual friend. They started off with very calm voices and almost cautious demeanors as they spoke, but gradually voices started to get more enthusiastic and shrill, emphatic hand gestures were thrown back and forth, and belly laughter ensued. And off they went, smiling and chatting side by side. 

It got me to thinking how easy it is to relate to people once you’ve spoken, or taken a minute to understand them. Like that stranger you met briefly who reminded you of your sister, or that guy who’s walking extremely slow on the sidewalk in front of you, but it’s ok because he’s being really sweet to his mom on the phone, or even that feeling of connection you get to the person who responds with a “you too” and then visibly cringes because it very clearly didn’t fit with the context of that interaction. Those small connections with people happen so frequently, and yet it’s so easy to write people off on the basis of them being a stranger and therefore unworthy of your time and effort 

I’ve come to realize how dangerous that “stranger” mentality is, because when we view every person we don’t know as alien to ourselves it can make us cold and unempathetic. I didn’t really care the other day when people were rolling their eyes at the cashier moving at a glacial pace, but I would have been up in arms if that cashier was my cousin. Everyone is someone else’s cousin or son or sister or grumpy but loving grandfather, and I need to remind myself of that more often instead of treating people with impatience or fear. I’m not saying if a suspect guy were to offer you candy you shouldn’t run away, but 99% of people you pass on the street are probably good people who are loved and love in return, and should be treated as such.