A Conversation with a Stranger

  I work at a tanning salon.  I work at the front desk and set people in tanning units, advise them on products, and consult them about tanning time to avoid overexposure.  At my job, I am constantly talking to people I do not personally know.  Striking up conversations with strangers and sometimes listening to the life stories of my customers is something I do on a daily basis.  I recently had a very interesting conversation with a middle aged woman whom I had never met before.  I asked her if she was tanning for anything specific since I saw she had only purchased two weeks of tanning.  She informed me that she was going on a cruise with her daughter.  This woman was particularly friendly, so I remarked how lovely it must be to have some mother daughter bonding time.  She then disclosed to me just how much she needed this vacation, for in the past year she lost her husband to cancer.  She told me how sick he was for such a long time.  He could not eat anything, he was in excruciating pain, and how it hurt her so deeply to watch him suffer.  She told me she was with him until the end, and as she the tears began to fill in her eyes she said, “I know he is in a better place now.”  I told this sweet woman that I could empathize with the pain she must have felt because I continue to watch my best friend deal with losing her mother to breast cancer this past summer.  I also remarked about how courageous she was that she has such a bright personality and keeps smiling through her pain.  Shortly after I closed the conversation, and told her to go tan and relax.  In my opinion you learn a lot from talking with a stranger.  It helps us feel connected and know that we are not alone.  It helps us form our self image and sometimes can help put things in perspective.  You never know what you may learn from an interpersonal encounter like this, and how you may make a positive impact on someone’s life.