You Never Know Who You're Going to Meet

I feel like nowadays, people are way too used to taking advantage of others.
Maybe it's just the country we live in, or maybe we need to turn a new leaf on our own life;
either way, we are here to love, cherish, and behold one another.

     I live by the motto: You never know who you're going to meet, and once more, you don't know what kind of value & enrichment they will add to your life. This is how I think about it (I realize that I've touched on this before, so I will keep it brief); every person in this world is a connection. Each one of those connections holds at least 5 more. If people go through life with open eyes and a welcoming mindset, their web of connections will be so tangled together - and that's exactly what you want! The more connections that are tangled, the more mutual connections you have. My point about all this is, is you don't know what kind of happiness you'll get, the memories you'll earn, & life-long friendships you won't be able to live without, if you don't let it.

     In the United States, it's easy to see that people will meet people, not to meet them, but to solely gain from them. Let me tell you, from the motto I just exclaimed, this kind of behavior makes me sick to my soul. This is one thing in life, that grinds my nerves to the fullest. The US focuses on getting work done, and getting it done efficiently. That's all fine and dandy, but it ruins relationships, in my eyes. We step on others frequently to get to the top. While I've been in Europe travelling and interning, there is a significant difference in attitude here, in many things, but also relationships. People are calmer, nicer, and most of all seem happier here. It's a breathe of fresh air, compared to my "home-land".     Whilst I've been here, I've been trying to meet everyone that I can! From airports, to the streets, to hostels, to restaurants, to the very program that I'm in. I find so much enjoyment in getting to know other people; everyone has a story, and I'm dying to know all about it - no matter where they're from. So far, there have been elderly people I met while in the Netherlands eating at an airport quick food shop, a man from Brazil that was travelling back from the U.S., people that are from Michigan where I'm from, my awesome roommates whom are from Aruba and North Carolina, and an Australian family in an Italian restaurant. Every time I get to know someone new, my life feels so much richer than it was before. It's a reviving spin on my once plain life from 3 seconds before. I love comparing the cultures, even if they're from the same country as I; there will always be differences, and that's the magic of the world we live in.

     Now, when you meet people, you will #always receive something from them. However, there is a very thin line between extras and benefits from knowing people, if that makes sense. I see this concept as any healthy relationship; there is both give and take on both ends. One person shouldn't be wanting to meet someone else because they can get them a discount at a store, or that they will do everything for them for nothing in return. We call these people 'gold-diggers' and 'selfish-assholes'. People that take advantage of others, are missing the real-life concept of knowing others, and will never know the thought of true happiness. Here's the thing, when there are 'extras', then you're not solely in for just that, they just happen to come along; with 'benefits', that's exactly what you want and are expecting right off the back, and to me, that's not how things should be done.

     The fact of the matter is, people in this world have so much to offer each other. From ideas, to attitudes, to memories, to enormous amounts of fun, to exuding happiness that can't be obtained from anywhere else. The more you get to know someone, the more you will live life with a richer experience, and overall, the happier you will live.\

     

You never know who you're going to meet,
and you don't know how much happiness you'll gain from them.
Treat everyone accordingly.

Have a warm heart
& an open soul.

Live free. Be kind.   

Stay loyal. Smile often.

#Always