We share our time on earth with everyone else. Our experiences and perceptions are unique, but very similar.
Every time you meet another human, you are meeting someone who experiences many of the same emotions and thoughts as you. They probably also do many of the same things you do on a daily basis.
We call people we don’t know strangers because they are unfamiliar. Subsequently, we treat them like they are from another planet. But, in reality, they aren’t really strangers at all.
I spent a week in New York City last month, and I began to realize the craziness of such an enormous amount of people living in the same area while still being disconnected with each other. As I walked down the streets, and sat on each train, I noticed how almost every single person wore headphones or was using their phone during the commute.
In a city with so much commotion and busyness, I understand why people choose to block it all out. But, when we tune out the world around us we also tune out the people around us.
When our eyes are fixated on our phones and all we hear is our individual Spotify playlists, we see everyone as strangers. We forget that we are surrounded by people just like us.
While traveling in a crowded train, I started looking at people’s faces and I noticed something — when you make eye contact with another person you share an innate human connection. You are no longer complete strangers.
Andrew Brand | Argonaut
I shared several simple and brief moments of connection with people while riding the train — we just stared at each other and smiled slightly. It wasn’t awkward, it was natural.
Although you don’t know anything about each other, you know you’re staring at another human, and that is significant. I’ve heard it said that “the eyes are the gateway to the soul.” There is something magical about our eyes, and something magical in brief connection. When I put my phone away and lifted my head up, I discovered a world full of people like me — people with unique stories and lives. They are all around us. We just have to acknowledge each other.
We cross paths with an inordinate number of people during our lives, but we only make a connection with a fraction of them. Although we don’t have the emotional and mental energy or capacity to be friends with everyone around us, we still have the ability to share a significant moment, even if it only lasts a split second.
You never know, that simple connection might lead to a wonderful friendship or partnership.
I met wonderful people in New York. One person was training for the Olympics, another was a passionate musician and others simply had beautiful smiles and souls.
When I’m traveling, I always tell the people I’m with that the best part about traveling is the opportunity to meet the locals. There are locals everywhere.
When we begin to see how alike we are, we will begin to see each other not as strange, but as similar.
Like Maya Angelou said, “We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.”
Andrew Brand can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @theandrewbrand