always talk to strangers.

While sitting on the old wooden bench inside the scrumptious Osteria del Figo yesterday afternoon, patiently waiting for my 6-cheese ravioli with Tuscan Pomodoro sauce to-go, I couldn't help but notice all the pretty women walking in and out of the double glass doors. They were all so fabulous, wearing cute corporate outfits with a Blackberry in one hand and a designer handbag in the other. I wondered what each of them did for a living. I imagined some of them escaped a cubicle jungle at an investment firm for an hour of fresh air and Italian lunch. Others were publishers from a trendy magazine taking a break to discuss the next issue. And as I sat there in my skinny jeans, flats and t-shirt, it made me happy to have a creative job.

Due to my uncontrollable daydreaming, I hadn't noticed the tall woman standing next to me. And as I gazed up, I was surprised to find her looking at me. Like most normal people would do, I smiled politely and looked at the bar wondering why my to-go order was taking so long. 

That's when she nudged me and asked, "Is that the weather lady?" She pointed with her eyes to one of the fabulous women wearing a hot pink cardigan along with plenty of make-up. "I don't really watch local news," I confessed. "But she does look familiar." 

I smiled. This talkative stranger was an older woman with a northern accent, and I learned she worked in the admin office at Morehouse College. While she was debating whether the lady in pink was from 11Alive News or Fox5 News, she described herself as crazy and that she recognizes random people all the time. Although she never remembers how she knows them.

After we said our goodbyes and nice-to-meet-yous, I realized this crazy lady made my day. We don't talk to each other enough. We go about our lives, our daily routines, smiling politely as we ignore each person we come in contact with. I want to connect with people more, interact more. Just tell someone to have a nice day or simply say what's on your mind. You may be the crazy person for talking to people you don't know, but at least you're out there connecting with the world, leaving a legacy. Even if it's only one person at a time.

So my lunch break was an experience, I realized it's OK to be a little crazy sometimes. And as for my 6-cheese ravioli with Tuscan Pomodoro sauce, it was delicious.