We live in a world of strangers far from a time when children rode their bikes freely through the neighborhood, no helmet, hair blowing all over, careening around corners and feeling the world was simply wonderful, that God had created the day just for them. Life was innocent. The local policeman (no, we did not use the word cop) was a friend, someone to go to if one was lost. Adults smiled at little children and they smiled back because adults were seen as nice and caring and there was no distrust. It was all very good.
Now things have changed. Children and adults are discouraged from talking to strangers. The humor of the day is sharp and often caustic. The world has grown dark. Sadly, ‘good’ parents make their children wear helmets and knee pads and shield them from skinned knees. Tree climbing is often prohibited and replaced with the favored choice of screentime. No bones are broken there, only minds and souls and no one sees.
But sometimes, if you will allow yourself, you will find that talking to strangers brings serendipitous results. Sometimes, your world is changed by a chance meeting.
We were in Messina, Sicily, my sisters and I. We had arrived late at night and in the morning set out to explore the area. Five girls, Jeannette and Herby’s girls once again, walking together. The streets were narrow, walled with apartments in this area of the city. Turning a corner we noted a sign for a little grocery and headed in that direction. We needed some coffee, of course, and some sundries. Standing in an aisle I noted a couple – an attractive woman and her husband speaking English. And so I did it, I talked to a stranger. And talking to that stranger changed our whole week.
We did not know when we asked John and Debra where things were in the store, that they would so graciously open their world to us – John, a true Sicilian and Debra, his lovely wife. Before we knew it they had invited us to dinner at the local cafe. And soon John was making plans for our week. They would meet us for garnitas and brioche in the morning, then travel with us by bus to downtown Messina; they would show us the sites and sounds of the city. We would eat Sicilian street food and visit the Piazza Duomo with the world’s largest astronomical clock. Oh, the tales John can tell! He is the ultimate Sicilian with a bit of Montreal Canadian thrown in along with admiration for America. As well as Sicilian, he also speaks, French and English and as he shared his rememberances of his summers in Messina we could picture a beautiful little boy running the streets of the city, happy to be visiting his grandparents – his nonna and nonno. He was the perfect guide.
These friends, no longer strangers made sure we were taken care of, even texting us when we drove the two hours to grandfather’s village to make sure we were okay. Debra took pictures and made multiple videos of our journey. She delighted in sharing information with us and took us under her wing. Our last evening in Messina was spent at the cafe with Debra. A perfect way to end our stay before heading south to Catania.
Webster’s tell us serendipity is finding valuable or agreeable things that are not sought for. They come upon you unawares. John and Debra were our serendipitous people, full of kindness and generosity. How sad it would have been if we had kept to ourselves and not talked to strangers. The joy we would have missed.
As I sit here this evening in my quiet Arizona casa drinking tea from the cup I purchased on our ‘field trip’ to Messina, I can’t help questioning the ‘wisdom’ of our present culture. Maybe we need to talk to strangers. Maybe the world is a much kinder place than we thought. If not, maybe we can change it. Maybe we can be that person that smiles at someone in the grocery store or helps an elderly lady with her bag. Maybe we can laugh instead of discouraging that little boy riding down the road without a helmet, rejoicing in childhood. Maybe each one of us can be someone’s John and Debra. For the good of our souls and the souls of others, maybe we need to talk to strangers.
Beautiful Words 