thoughts: i awoke from a wonderful nine-hour sleep and opened my blinds to reveal a gorgeous fall day outside around 9 am this morning. i made and ate breakfast and walked outside in the warm october sunshine to class, where i tried to give my full attention to the teacher, but it was hard because the day was so pretty!
after class, i really wanted to get some coffee, but i couldn't decide if i wanted to go to a coffee shop, or the beanery (a branch of the coffeeshop that i work for) near campus. i finally decided to go to the beanery. i walked into the shop, that was fairly crowded, and ordered an americano, and talked to the cashier for a bit. he looked a bit tired and not really wanting to be at work, but i encouraged him a bit and he looked a bit more cheery after i paid for my drink. i walked towards a table to sit down and noticed two of my old bible study leaders sitting down. i talked to them for a bit, then proceeded to my table and began my storyboarding homework. the shop was full, and i was fairly conscious of all of the conversations that were taking place, hearing all the mummers floating around the shop. there was a young man fairly close to me, across my table, who was standing, leaning against the table, reading from an ipad. he was reading out loud and it seemed like he was talking to himself, so i looked at him strangely for a bit, but i determined that he was reading, so i continued with my homework.
i finished my coffee, and reached in my bag for an apple that i brought, and started to eat it. after a few bites, i noticed that the man with the ipad was staring over my shoulder at what i was drawing. he inquired what my homework was, and looked genuinely interested, so i explained to him what storyboarding was and is and showed him the first twelve drawings i had completed. he asked if he could sit down and wanted to know more about my major, new media communications, and from a few simple questions, we got into a conversation about school, life, goals, and dreams. he told me about his experiences in germany, where he stayed during the world cup that took place there a few years back. i continued the conversation talking about spain and how much i loved europe. we talked about school, life, and how we enjoy helping people.
i asked if he worked, and he said no, that he was a trust-fund kid, but enjoyed hopping around non-profit organizations and putting in time there. he shared his dream to plant a city garden in big cities and how to get people involved. he wanted to turn empty lots into something beautiful. he showed me the plan written on his ipad (a photo of a letter he had written). it was a really encouraging conversation, and when i asked why he came over in the first place, he said, " i noticed you eating an apple, and i knew you were wise. i wanted to learn more about you." some might view this as shady, but i found it pleasant, and told him so. he said that he appreciated that i opened up and said that i was very bright and exciting to talk to. we had talked almost for an hour when he said that he name was grant, and he said, "i know you're melissa." (he had looked at my homework). it was extremely interesting, and was one of the most enlightening conversations that i have had in a long time.
for me, this encounter today took away one hour of my life, a little time was lost doing homework, but overall, i learned a lot from a complete stranger, the man with the ipad and the open personality.
why i chose this photo: besides having a random encounter today, it was an amazingly beautiful fall day out.
question: if someone random came up to you and asked about your life, how would you respond?
inspiration: "smile at someone today or talk to someone you don't know. who knows what could happen!"
