Things Learned in an Hour with a Stranger

Is it just me or is it strange when you form first hand impressions of people that life has a way of proving you wrong? I had an interesting experience tonight. I spent roughly 30 or 40 minutes with a stranger in a car and I made several off-hand, split second judgments about them. Ironically and serendipitously, however, me and my theories were shot down, and thankfully so. For when I start believing my own bad ideas then I have truly become the "bad person" I talked about tonight.

I am a cynic at heart, I won't lie. I have seen and experienced enough to know that people are generally out only to serve themselves: I don't mean this in a bad way, it's just the truth, we want what is best for number 1. It's human instinct. However, there are two kinds of people in this world: people that enjoy doing whatever they want and people who do whatever the want and then mourn the fact that they know they chose the wrong path. Every bad decision I have made I have felt the guilt and conviction of a contrite heart over. I know when I am in the wrong and mostly I will admit it, even if it means condemning my own actions. The pleasure of sin is only temporary enough to bring me happiness for a short while and then the cloud of regret encompasses me.

Tonight, like so many times, I was confronted with a reflection of myself, a living sculpture of my own mistakes, shortcomings and failings. There are differences, yes, but only of the superficial. My heart was there in my words and I felt the beauty and the release of truth; truth without holding back. And despite my cynicism, I felt connection in the sharing of experience, even with a person whom I did not know and whom I had judged previously. Even through the haze of sinfulness, I see so much beauty in the small moments of humanity; words shared with a stranger and moments of honesty in the brash face of emotion. I hope and pray that these little bits of significance are not only mine, but also those whom I share them with, that they may see what I have seen and appreciate it the same as I .