Hugs, Runs, and Unexpected Friends

Get back here. Stop!

I was profusely sweating as I finished my morning run in Florida a few weeks ago. I heard a woman yell, and I reflexively turned my head in fear, assuming there was a dog chasing me. This is a common occurrence on my runs.

To my surprise, it wasn’t a dog, but two young girls. I stopped my run just past their house, turned around and walked back. 4-year-old Emma ran to the edge of the street and threw up her arms at me to give me a hug. “I’m Emma,” she said. Her 6-year-old sister quickly introduced herself as Sophia. I stood there with sweat pouring off me and in a bit of shock about how friendly these children were.

As I was on my way back to the Airbnb we had rented for the week, I was unfamiliar with the neighborhood, and they were unfamiliar with me. But that didn’t stop Emma and Sophia from meeting and greeting me. As their mother ran after them, they both hugged me and started telling me they were getting ready for school. In about 30 seconds I learned their names, got hugs, knew their ages, and discovered they were on their way to school.

Emma and Sophia wanted a new friend. They were friendly and did not have their “shield” up the way many adults often do. They were friendly, open, and welcoming. They wanted to meet me and tell me who they were.

In The Life Is Too Short Guy, one of the key principles of LITSG is Can’t Make it Alone. We live in a world with greater interconnection and communication than at any time in the history of civilization. Yet, we talk less, avoid eye contact, and miss opportunities for true human connection.

What kind of world would we live in if it were common for strangers to engage in conversations regularly? How might your day be different if you introduced yourself to strangers and learned the stories of people you interact with on a regular basis?

Emma and Sophia opened my eyes that day. They reminded me of the importance of a genuine human connection. Think about how much happier we all can be by taking time each day to meet new people, explore new stories, and share our own experiences with others in the world.

Today is your day. Meet someone new. Embrace human connection. Remember, we Can’t Make It Alone. Make today, and every day, the best day ever.

Regards,
Scott