Touching Occurrences

"It is true many worries remain, 

but they are easier to bear when a stranger

steps forward out of nowhere and becomes a friend."

Sara Paretsky

A career in social services offering in home counseling brought me into contact with families that I might have never otherwise met.  Traveling through three counties weekly, I soon learned the best roads, the most dependable resources, and how listening skills gained insights into dysfunctional families.

In my private life, I was fortunate to visit numerous places throughout the United States, but also passport flights to other countries.  Frequently, I was blessed with month long visits which enabled me to develop friendships by chance and experience unique rhythms to varying ways of life.

So whether traveling near or far, I would eventually come across basically good human beings.  Life style, health challenges, and appearance surprisingly were not the most common denominator.  The ability to accept a person right where they stood without prejudgment tended to be the key to open most any door.  With compassion, to listen to the heart of a stranger was one of life's most touching occurrences.