As an introvert, introducing myself to at least five new people everyday is difficult. Every new meet-up is a challenge to read the person’s tendencies and inclinations. Every day, a series of business talk, small talk, personal talk, and the occasional gossip from outlet owners. Most times it’s a struggle to conversations going. And at the end of the day, I’m drained not only physically but also socially.
But once in a while, a conversation goes deep and an encounter becomes a dive into another person’s world. Suddenly, what seemed like forced extraversion has become countless opportunities for connection. It’s amazing what’s behind the story-book pages of a person’s history. Stories upon stories, experiences over experiences, lesson after lesson.
Everyday, I don’t have to talk to a series of people, rather I get to make connections with countless lives, even for just a few minutes. And although people are never as straightforward and simple as I’d sometimes wish them to be, everyday is a lesson on empathy and understanding.