The story of the stranger who changed my life.m

• Posted by Natural Living November 16, 2012 - Filed in Society - #feel good  #stranger  #kindness  - 717 views

  I walked up to the "stranger" and......The stranger spoke to me...

   

  I have a saying that goes like this: "There are over 6 Billion People on this planet and I can learn something new from EVERY ONE OF THE THEM including strangers. 

   

  It is a true statement, you can learn something new from everyone on the planet...but only if you put forth the effort. I travel a lot, and I have made it a habit to try and get to know the people I come in contact with, if only for a few minutes.

   

  Remember, these people are all perfect strangers to me. Here are some examples.

   

  I fly to Charlotte a lot for business. I take the same flight every time and rent a car from the same company.

   

   When I get to the airport I check my bags with the same baggage clerks and ask them how they are doing. I look at their name tags and address them with their first name, "You guys look busy today John."

   

   It is amazing how just mentioning their name can bring a smile. "John, how long have you worked here...what is the funniest thing that ever happened to someone's luggage?"

   

  You would be surprised at the incredible stories that people have  about their jobs. These stories are seldom heard, you see most people are in a hurry and just want to check their bags and go.

   

  You will hear them if you ask them to tell you their stories. Their eyes will light up as they tell them, and they will smile and so will you. Both of your days just got a little better.

   

  I always leave a nice tip, most service people are underpaid and overworked. When I get to Charlotte I take the same shuttle to Dollar rental car.I hand the shuttle driver a $5 dollar bill as he helps me with my bag.I notice that most people do not tip him at all.

   

  I talk to the shuttle driver and find out that he is from Egypt, he works 7 days a week until he has enough money and vacation time to go back to Egypt and visit his family. 

   

  He has no days off, he has a very hard life. Had I never taken the time to talk with him I would never have known about his life,

   

  I would have just handed him my bags and gotten on and off the bus quietly like all the other people.

   

  But now, I know his name, and each time I see him working the shuttle bus route I always inquire as to when he will be heading back to Egypt for a visit...that makes him happy.

   

  He was such a nice stranger, now he is a friend.

   

  When he drops me off at the rental counter I say hi to the agent of the day.I call her by her first name because I have taken the time to learn their names and more about their lives. I ask her how she is doing.

   

  Do you get where I am going with this?

   

  I make it a habit to get to know perfect strangers, I always greet them with a smile and show incere interest in "THEIR" life. 

  
  People love it when you inquire about their lives, it makes them happy.

   

  Think about how many opportunities you have every day to make people happy, to ask strangers about their lives, their dreams. You will find that you will walk away feeling better about yourself for making them happier.

   

  Zig Ziglar has a great saying that goes like this"

   

  "You can have everything you want in life if you will just help enough other people get what they want."

   

  Henry Ford once said,

   

  "If there is one secret of success, it lies in the ability to get the other person's point of view, 
  and see things from that person's angle, as well as from your own."

   

  That is a very powerful statement. Notice that he says this is one "secret to success." Try to make it a habit to listen to people very carefully and then put yourself in their shoes. Try to imagine how they feel, what their needs are, and then think of ways you can help them meet those
  needs.

   

  Make it a habit to greet people with a smile and show sincere interest in their lives, call them by their first names, get to know them, your life will be deeply enriched.

   

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