"Do You Ever Just Sit And Look At People?" | A Conversation With A Stranger

A few days back, I was sitting on campus finishing up some work, when a stranger (who had been seated on the sofa next to me for quite some time now) asked me, "I don't mean to be offensive or anything, but what's that thing that you wear on your head called?" I could tell that he meant it in the nicest way possible, so I answered as I normally would. He then asked me, "So why don't guys have to wear it?", and I once again answered explaining to him the importance of women in Islam and the different responsibilities of men and women. Understandingly, he said, "Oh so it's for protection and because women are valued more, Islam protects them?" "Exactly!", I replied. He then went on to ask me, "Is Islam something you're born with, or do you choose it?" And I answered by saying how personally I was born into Islam, however you do have to find yourself within Islam, and research about it before finding your place within it. Shocked, he replied, "That's really good, because for some Muslim friends of mine, they are Muslim but don't know anything about Islam, so I'm glad you do know about it." I then went on to ask him if he practised a certain religion, and he told me a bit about his Christian beliefs.

I was kind of shocked at how everyone was on their laptop or cellphone, yet a stranger decided to take the time to talk to me. He finally asked me the question, "Do you ever just sit and look at people?" And I actually had, that exact morning. Then the conversation turned to 'screens' being a communication barrier.

It's quite sad that we let these electronics be our mode of communication, yet when we have the ability to take time to talk to someone, we don't. People are forgetting the 'how-to's' of talking and communicating directly. We are unable to start up a conversation, or keep a conversation going. We should try to take the time to start a conversation with a stranger. A stranger can easily share so much knowledge with you, and you with them. If it hadn't been for this stranger asking me the questions he had about Hijab and Islam, these questions may not have been answered. But it's because he had the courage to speak up and talk to a complete stranger that, not only did he gain knowledge, but so did I.

He then told me that he tries to strike a conversation with one stranger everyday. Prior to talking to me, he too was on his laptop, but he took it, put it aside, and started a conversation with me.
So I've challenged myself, as well as all of you, to talk to two complete strangers a week, if not daily. 

Try to put your electronics aside. Try to learn something new. 

(Random story, I know, but just something that I thought I'd share with all of you!)