Things in Common

A friend was recently telling me about his experience at a gas station where a guy with the same car decided to start up a conversation with him about the car. In this day and age where we unfortunately become suspicious of every stranger, it can be weird carrying on a lengthy conversation with someone that we do not know. But as he was relaying the story to me it made me better appreciate a similar experience that I had at the grocery store the previous day - - the guy at the gas station had found something in common with my friend.

On Saturday Anna and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few items for dinner. The trip took longer than expected not because of the people in the checkout line but because of the number of people who stopped me in the grocery aisles to ask about Anna and to share about their own children and grandchildren that were at home. When I got home I told my husband about my trip to the store and how I thought it was so strange that so many people had stopped me in the store. It was different from most of my experiences at the store and I realized why - usually I am there during the weekday morning when it is mostly moms and dads with their own cart full of kids. But this time it was people who did not have kids with them and they simply saw a smiling child, found something we had in common and wanted to chat. Next time I'll stop and take more time.