My Paris trip was a last minute trip and so I decided to relax and spend time with my family instead of thinking much about photography. Though my family is supportive they are not photographers 🙂
Anyways, I am going to share my experience of talking with a stranger. One day my husband and I were eating breakfast. All tables were busy. An old lady (she was not very very old but old enough to be a granny) asked me if she can sit with us, which I accepted. Still we were busy in our own world, talking light. Suddenly something happened to me and
Me: “can I ask you a question”?
She: “Yes, sure”.
Me: “” We three are sitting on a table but my husband and I are talking to each other leaving you alone. But then I am not sure if you like to talk to strangers. So do you like talking?”
She: Ohhhhhhh….. (hard for her to talk, she used her handkerchief), thank you so much for thinking about me. Actually I really wanted to talk to someone but…
I thought she will start sobbing. She took a few minutes to gather herself, then she explained her situation. She was in Paris with her friend for a week. First few days were fantastic and then suddenly her friend got sick. Her friend had been taken to emergency medical care. The appendix got ruptured and spreaded infection. The hospital was not that near to the hotel and it was difficult for the lady to cope with this sudden situation. I tried to console her which she appreciated very kindly. She told us about her family in the US and how badly she was missing her husband. She said this was her first trip without her husband. Before saying goodbye she thanked us again and said she was feeling much better. She had a nice smile while saying goodbye. We felt good that we could be of some help to a stranger.
This incidence reminded me of the quote by Saunders
In 1957, Saunders wrote the line, “Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans,” usually attributed to John Lennon. It appeared in a 1957 issue of the Reader’s Digest.
For Nurturing Thursday I would like to share this quote:
Smile at strangers and you just might change a life ~Steve Maraboli
Someone is posing for a shot near the Louvre palace.
Small incidents gives so much happiness, great information shared.
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Thank you Subbashini. We were happy to be helpful.
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A moving post which I am happy you shared. Thank you!
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Thank you so much for appreciating it.
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Loved your words. Natural and practical. And yes, there’s so much hatred around. A smile could as well change things.
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Thank you so much. Yes it’s a smile what we miss.
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Wonderful! A simple act of kindness makes a huge impact on one’s life.
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Thank you Megala.
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Nice to read.
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Thank you for reading it.
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OH, how wonderful, Rupali!
And that Steve Maraboli quote is so true!
You are an example of it’s meaning! And your kindness changed that lady’s day and possibly her life AND I bet she passed on kindness to others as she thought of you! 🙂
I VERY often speak to strangers. But on rare occasions I keep quiet and just observe. I wrote about one of those times in my recent post. I felt the need then to just listen. While I didn’t speak up…I did smile at the little boy and he smiled back at me. It was like he was saying, “I’m glad you listened to me.” 🙂
HUGS!!! 🙂
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Thank you dear Carolyn.
I love observing people and it is so much fun. We had good time spent in cafes in Paris watching tourists and locals.
Thank you for appreciaitng my deed and sharing your experience.
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Dear Carolyn, I enjoyed your post so much. I shall try to smile at strangers more often than I do now.
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Very true. Who knows what effect a simple smile might have?
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Thank you Mick.
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Lovely! Thank for sharing
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Thanks for supporting.
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So lovely and kindness Ruapali, thanks for sharing!!!
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Thanks Paulo.
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A random act of kindness that will continue to ripple for time to come! I am sure she appreciated the comfort! Thank you for sharing with us.
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Thanks for appreciating it.
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Touching! But I am sure you felt happy in doing this random act of kindness 💞
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Yes Radhika. Unknowing I helped her by talking/listening to her. I was happy indeed.
Thanks.
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