Tell me a story

As I was doing homework tonight, leaving it all to the last minute as is usual, I found myself reading a whole bunch of online articles about different celebrities: Keira Knightly, Cate Blanchett, Kate Winslet, J. Law, etc. As I was reading these articles I realized something, I know more about these peoples' lives, people I have never met nor will probably ever meet, than I do about the people living in the room right next to mine. This makes me a little ashamed. I obviously don't get out much... But also I obviously don't take the time to get to know the people within my community. This makes me even more ashamed. Not only am I not social, but I'm also a little selfish. Wow. That tasted like vinegar coming out of my mouth (well, it would have if I had actually said it, not typed). Now I am pretty sure that I am not the only person for whom this is true. Be honest with me, or with yourself, how often do you stop to talk to someone and genuinely listen? I don't mean just the usual nodding and smiling, "yes that's nice, have a good day!" kind of thing, but actually listening to someone's story. How often to you take the time to get to know a person, even if you will never see that person again?

Every one has a story and everyone wants to share their story, if only we took the time to hear it.

Today I was with my cousin and she told me about a man she met on the Bart (public transportation here in San Fran). She talked for about half an hour with a man who she never met before and will probably never see again. But that doesn't matter. She listened to him and made him feel like someone cared. Like someone was interested in him. He isn't famous. His face isn't on magazine covers. But someone wanted to know his story. The impact this conversation had on my cousin was astounding, so I can only imagine what he felt like when he got off the train–elated and important. But most importantly, happy. Wouldn't it be neat if we could all feel like that? If we could all feel like celebrities? I think that would be cool.

It's hard and scary and incredibly uncomfortable, for most of us, to talk to people we don't know–strangers. But these "strangers" aren't as strange as they may seem. It may not seem like you have much in common with the homeless man on the corner with the toothless grin and oversized jacket, or with the business woman in her immaculate wool suit and pointy heels. Really though, we are all so much more similar than what our outward appearances, our occupations, our personalities would lead us to believe. We are all on this journey called life. Why not get to know our fellow passengers?

From every single person their is a tale to be told and a lesson to be learned. Some we forget and some stick with us forever.

Stories are so much more interesting when there is a plethora of interesting, dynamic characters, so let's get to know the ones in our lives, it might just make our own stories more interesting.

xoxo
Justice

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P.p.s. You should all check out this magazine/website because it is amazing and I love it. and it is really inpsirational. and I love it. and someday I'm going to work for them. Darling Magazine
P.p.p.s Have a good week everyone!