Random acts of well-mannered people

It’s funny sometimes living in a city like New York. I find I build up a bit of a protective wall around myself when I’m walking down the street. There’s not exactly a shortage of crazies ready to spread their crazy all over your day. And occasionally when I’m dressed in a particular way I find it seems an open invitation to people to come over and ask me questions, as if we’ve been friends for life. I find this deeply invasive and a bit creepy. Even if all you want to do is ask my name.

I know it makes me sound like a hardened New Yorker, and usually I’m ok with that, but sometimes I realize it has so much to do with my mood. Take today for example. Today was just a rough one. I have a lot swimming around my head right now, feeling disconnected, unmotivated and just plain lost. I felt sad and vulnerable walking the city streets today. My head caught up in a funk. Then wouldn’t you know it, some crazy stranger just seems to sense somethings amiss and he just looks up and says “Hey gorgeous, have a beautiful day, keep your head up and the rest will follow”. On any other day of the week, in any other mood I would’ve just ignored the kind words of a stranger and gone on my way. Walls and all. But today was different. I needed to hear a kind word from a stranger. Today I was vulnerable so I let it in. So that’s my little lesson for today. Stay vulnerable. Stay open. Stay humble and keep your head up, the rest will follow.