School is back in session. And for many, that comes with the dread of running into people that aren’t necessarily our friends but aren’t strangers either.
You know exactly what I mean. It’s the people that you cross paths with and you both vaguely know each other… or the even more dreaded kind where you know them, but you are certain they have no idea who you are.
I’m not sure how you handle these kinds of interactions, but I know I have handled myself in all sorts of awkward and bizarre ways.
There’s the classic “just keep moving and hope we don’t make eye contact,” or the “I’ll see if we make eye contact and proceed from there if they recognize me” or last but not least the “Wow! Something on my phone just got really interesting!”
All of these reactions and others have one thing in common; when we choose not to say hey or introduce ourselves, not only are we missing out on an opportunity to make a new friend, we send ourselves the message that we aren’t someone worth getting excited about seeing.
When we choose not to say hey or introduce ourselves, we send ourselves the message that we aren’t someone worth getting excited about seeing.
“Wait… you know my name?”
Have you ever met someone and they already knew and remembered your name, even when you forgot or didn’t know theirs? Do you remember how that made you feel? Probably pretty good, right?
The first week of my freshman year of college I felt overwhelmed by the volume of people I had met at orientation. It felt like thousands of people (although it was probably more like a few hundred). But a few years later, an interaction I had with one person still stands out in my mind.
I was standing on the steps of the Student Center, surrounded by people I was certain I should have known but didn't. My eyes darted around and settled on a familiar face; the Student Association President, Michael Krupka. Michael was a senior, and a very important figure on campus, making appearances at many of the freshman orientation events on behalf of the Student Association.
I had met him earlier in the week, and despite his prominence on campus, I still forgot his name. So I made up my mind that it was time to avoid eye contact and keep walking. After all, I was supposed to know his name, and there was absolutely no way he would remember mine after talking to hundreds of freshmen.
I quickly rushed towards the Student Center entrance, and just when I thought I had passed Michael, he stopped me and said; "Abbey right?"
Relief and embarrassment flooded my brain all at the same time. He remembered my name after a brief conversation we had a few days prior, but I couldn't remember his. All I knew was that he was very important.
Despite his status as President of Harding's student government, Michael chose to go out of his way to talk to me. I was floored.
I proceeded to awkwardly navigate a conversation with Michael on the steps of the Student Center. I told him about how I was interested in running for freshman representative on the Student Association. Michael intently listened and encouraged me, and I ended up serving on the Student Association that year because of his encouragement.
But I'm not the only one to have interactions like that with Michael. That's just the kind of guy he is. He goes out of his way to say hey and make conversation and he does it from a place of genuine care.
Michael embodies Timothy, a disciple of Jesus. Timothy isn't mentioned very much in the Bible, but Phillipians 2:20 seems to encapsulate what Timothy was all about. It says he took a "genuine interest in the welfare of others" (CSB).
Maya Angelou said, "At the end of the day people won't remember what you said or did, they will remember how you made them feel." And both Michael and Timothy have a reputation for making people feel worthwhile. And that seems like something worth striving for.
So how can I make people feel like a million bucks?
It's actually quite simple. Start saying hey to everyone you see. Make an effort to remember people's names and what is going on in their lives. Check-in and ask them questions. And most of all stop avoiding eye contact, put down your phone, and smile at those around you. I think you will be surprised by what happens.
I don't know about you, but today I'm committing to being someone who takes a genuine interest in others. I hope you will join me in choosing to embrace awkward greetings instead of avoiding them.
Thanks for reading! Feel free to comment stories about what happened when you took a genuine interest in others. Share this post on Facebook or Twitter using the icons below. You can also pin this post on Pinterest using the "save" button in the corner of the featured image.
See you next week. New posts every Sunday at 2!
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