Monday, July 14, 2008
While on the bus to school this morning, a single thought struck me. Something that always comes to my mind as I sit back and people-watch. You know it's quite fascinating to observe others from a distance (not in the voyeuristic sense), the way they talk, dress and behave.
Then occasionally, when you make eye contact with that stranger for a brief second, one of you would turn away in embarrassment at being caught ‘staring’. What if people actually acknowledged each other with a nod and a smile instead? Wouldn’t that be nice?
When I was holidaying in Down Under circa 2006, I felt warmth from any random stranger that I passed on the street. They’d greet you with a smile and a simple ‘hello’ which sometimes goes to make one’s bad day seem a lot better.
Trying something like that in Singapore would only bring about trouble. The other party will probably think you’re nuts or some sick pervert.. and that’s the whole bloody problem with our society! We’re all so caught up living in our own world of oblivion that we fail to immerse ourselves in our surroundings.
Everyday, you’ll be greeted with the stony, grumpy expressions of fellow commuters and strangers alike. It’s extraordinary how their lives seem to be miserable 365 days a year! If Thailand is the land of smiles, Singapore is pathetically the land of frowns!
But anyway, that wasn't what I had set out to discuss.
Hm... We’re all living in a world filled with strangers. The passing faces you see everyday are nothing more than a mere insignificant figure. But think, every one of these people can potentially change or impact your life in some way or another.
The course of your life steers in little ways every time you develop a friendship with someone new. Some say its destiny when 2 people meet.. maybe so, but you know I really do think that anyone of us can get acquainted with any random stranger simply by having the courage to say hello.
Imagine this.. What if you had chosen to go to a different school?
Your life would probably be different from what it is now. And the obvious reality is, that you’d be hanging out with a totally different bunch of people.. the ones you know, the very same ones who are significant in your lives right at this moment, would have been nothing more than just another face.
My point is; not knowing what lies ahead in your life makes it a lot more interesting. Every passing figure you see each day isn’t merely another insignificant soul, but someone with a story of their own, and one who might very well be part of the story of your life.
I’m not saying that you should go out there and start introducing yourself to the whole world. But if the opportunity ever arises, take the initiative.
Be the first to go up to someone new with an extended hand, a genuine smile, and just say hello.Labels: People, Random Ruminations
5:49:00 PM
