All real living is meeting.
Martin Buber
When we meet another, we are presented with a choice of whether or not to risk ourselves. To take the time and risk of opening ourselves to another means being willing to lose a measure of control over our interaction and the direction it takes. To take this risk is to embrace living a richer life than we could possibly script ourselves.
Recently, I had the opportunity to meet new people. This only happened because I intentionally opened myself up to meeting new people. While traveling to spend Thanksgiving with family, I struck up a conversation was started with someone else who was also waiting for the plane. The conversation was not long — maybe 15 minutes. But as I reflected on it during the flight, I realized that purely as a result of our time talking, I had learned from them. I saw some aspects of my life differently. And I came away accepting some new challenges for myself that will surely provide opportunities for growth.
I could not possibly have planned that meeting and sharing; I did not know this person and it was coincidence that we found ourselves seated near one another. But had I not responded to their conversational sally with an interested “Oh?”, my life would not be a good degree richer right now.
I took another lesson from that chance encounter because after I arrived at my destination and was together with people I have known my entire life (or their entire life, in the case of my younger siblings), I realized that although I knew them, they were still strangers in a way…they had life experiences, ideas, traits, and so much more than I knew nothing about. I found myself responding again and again with an interested, “Oh?” and ‘meeting’ them again. It was amazing getting to know them better. I intentionally opened myself up to experiencing and appreciating them in a way I had never done before. And what I took from that time has made my life richer still.
