Kindness of Strangers

I grew up in a big city, which means I spent a lot of time perfecting my middle distance stare. Whether on buses, trains and just walking from point A to point B in public, I didn't make eye contact with and definitely did not initiate conversations with strangers. I also got really great at ignoring catcalls, honking horns, people who wanted to ask a question, panhandlers, etc. as I tried to go about daily life. I counted these skills among my "street smarts" and felt like I was really lucky to have them. Besides, how would anyone survive in this day and age if they actually engaged with a stranger?

When I moved to the south, it was a little different. It seemed everyone said "hello" when they passed and actually expected you to make eye contact and say "hello" back! It was a strange transition, but I still needed to be able to turn on the street attitude on public transportation, but that's expected.

It was a similarly strange transition when I started running - and I still think I am going through it -the concept of getting encouragement from strangers. These days, when I hear "looking good" or "almost there" it's usually from a fellow jogger or biker toughing it out on the road. At first I thought it was patronizing - c'mon, I look TERRIBLE when I run because I am usually struggling. And am I supposed to say something back? How do you respond to that?

But I have started looking forward to a little encouragement out on the road. Isn't it a nice surprise to hear a little bit of kindness from a stranger as you bust your butt to get through a run or workout? And who cares if they mean it or not, seriously? Whether it helps for a second or several minutes, it's kind of nice to hear someone acknowledge what you're doing and keep you moving in the right direction. While I still don't know how to respond - mostly because I usually can't breathe, let alone speak - I am starting to appreciate some attention from strangers.

What do you think? What kind of encouragement helps you when you're working hard?