I made a conscious decision not to lj-cut this.
When I am out and about by myself, I am sometimes approached by less-than-savory individuals. And oftentimes, I really am not in the mood for conversation with people I don't know. Heck, a lot of the time I'm not in the mood for conversation with people who I consider my best friends. I'm used to being alone-- I'm an only child, and my parents aren't the most social people on the planet. We enjoy our space.
I've been asked why I don't just brush people off when they start talking to me, to tell them straight up that I don't want to talk, because as one of my dear friends puts it, I get "creeped on a lot". A lot of the time, though, I find it really hard to be stone-cold blunt with strangers.
It's almost a reflex to smile at people if I'm walking past them on the street and we make eye contact. I say hello and give people the time of day if they ask for it, and only hope they would do the same for me.
It doesn't necessarily mean I want to be your best pal or 'start' something, or have a lengthy conversation during our equally lengthy transit ride. A lot of the time that's far from the case. I don't know what you're thinking. What I do know, however, is that sometimes a smile or a few kind words, even from a stranger, can make a real, solid difference to people.
There's a lot we don't know about each other. I'll say it right now, there's a lot that I don't want to tell anyone, not even my closest friends. Maybe I have a hard time trusting people, maybe it's that I feel guilty talking about things when I know there are people out there who are way worse off. Maybe both, maybe not, I can't say it myself. The words get caught in my throat, my hands freeze up, I just plain don't want to talk about it-- at least, that's what I keep telling myself. And if I start believing that, then I sure as heck am not gonna want to talk to anyone about it. I put up a front, I shrug things off and laugh... And I know that there are people out there in the exact same boat, who feel just like that or worse.
A little reassurance, even from someone you don't know-- or maybe especially from someone you don't know-- can be enough to lift you out of that funk. They may not know the whole story; there are few people nowadays who feel comfortable spilling all the beans about themselves, especially with how technology works nowadays. It's hard to feel safe and grounded and confident these days: even as I'm typing I'm not sure if I want to let anybody see this, lest it somehow be used against me. Present-day paranoia at its finest, right?
Rambling aside, even if no one knows the whole story, or the real you-- a look or a few words that show that someone out there cares, even a little, can have a huge, huge impact.
So yeah, there are creepers out there. There will always be creepers. On the Internet, on the bus, all over the place. But even so, I'm going to try to be nice to as many people as possible, and reach out to them, just a little bit. Maybe it's not the most strategically sound thing to do in today's society, but you know what?
I'll do it anyway and hope for the best.
I've been asked why I don't just brush people off when they start talking to me, to tell them straight up that I don't want to talk, because as one of my dear friends puts it, I get "creeped on a lot". A lot of the time, though, I find it really hard to be stone-cold blunt with strangers.
It's almost a reflex to smile at people if I'm walking past them on the street and we make eye contact. I say hello and give people the time of day if they ask for it, and only hope they would do the same for me.
It doesn't necessarily mean I want to be your best pal or 'start' something, or have a lengthy conversation during our equally lengthy transit ride. A lot of the time that's far from the case. I don't know what you're thinking. What I do know, however, is that sometimes a smile or a few kind words, even from a stranger, can make a real, solid difference to people.
There's a lot we don't know about each other. I'll say it right now, there's a lot that I don't want to tell anyone, not even my closest friends. Maybe I have a hard time trusting people, maybe it's that I feel guilty talking about things when I know there are people out there who are way worse off. Maybe both, maybe not, I can't say it myself. The words get caught in my throat, my hands freeze up, I just plain don't want to talk about it-- at least, that's what I keep telling myself. And if I start believing that, then I sure as heck am not gonna want to talk to anyone about it. I put up a front, I shrug things off and laugh... And I know that there are people out there in the exact same boat, who feel just like that or worse.
A little reassurance, even from someone you don't know-- or maybe especially from someone you don't know-- can be enough to lift you out of that funk. They may not know the whole story; there are few people nowadays who feel comfortable spilling all the beans about themselves, especially with how technology works nowadays. It's hard to feel safe and grounded and confident these days: even as I'm typing I'm not sure if I want to let anybody see this, lest it somehow be used against me. Present-day paranoia at its finest, right?
Rambling aside, even if no one knows the whole story, or the real you-- a look or a few words that show that someone out there cares, even a little, can have a huge, huge impact.
So yeah, there are creepers out there. There will always be creepers. On the Internet, on the bus, all over the place. But even so, I'm going to try to be nice to as many people as possible, and reach out to them, just a little bit. Maybe it's not the most strategically sound thing to do in today's society, but you know what?
I'll do it anyway and hope for the best.