Speak to strangers.

Always speak to strangers that’s very often how strangers can become very good friends

I love talking to strangers now but didn’t do so in my youth. It makes the time pass more quickly if waiting for a bus or in the hospital waiting room. I hate walking past people who do not even acknowledge me with a smile .

In the past I’ve aways spoken to strangers, in shops, on buses, at the doctors, when walking the dogs, it was just a normal thing to do to me but it’s not now. I find people are more suspicious, and definitely not so friendly.
Possibly just a sign of the times perhaps mobile phones have taken over their lives but I have noticed you don’t have to smile at a child now as I did not so long ago and the mother moved away from me.

I often recall a train journey some years ago....I was reading my book and a woman (much older than i was at the time!) sat opposite.
She began chatting.
At first I was slightly "miffed" as I was enjoying my book etc but found her so interesting, I really enjoyed our talk.

When we arrived at our destination, as we walked down the platform, she thanked me for talking to her and said she lived alone, ours was the first 'conversation' she'd had in some time.

I've never forgotten that...

On this site, I have been a bit horrified on occasions, of the number of posters who write on certain threads, "we keep ourselves to ourselves", as if it is some kind of virtue.

I speak to strangers too.
Or at least give them a smile.
I do find, could just be where I am, that peeople are smiling at each other more than they used to. Which is nice.

I do already. I’m just mindful to be polite and chatty. Only a sentence or two as in “oh I do like your dress”. It’s a cheerful way of interacting.

I often speak to strangers , in the supermarket , cinema , leisure centre. I find it an easy thing to do.

To my ACs’ embarrassment I have always spoken to strangers!
I have met some really interesting people often on the train to and from London on the many occasions when DH was in the Royal Free or, more often now, when I am at a theatre or cinema matinee -usually on my own.
Sometimes a harmless pleasantry is sort of brushed off (so what) but more often than not the other person seems happy enough to chat.
The advantage of being 76 with white hair is that I am no way regarded as “chatting someone up” and if anybody secretly thinks “Sad old biddy” - well tant pis (or so much p*ss ) as we used to say.