Strangers I Have Known

~ A blog by Melissa Kotler Schwartz

Strangers I Have Known

Monthly Archives: November 2012

The Lucky Cookie

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Melissa Kotler Schwartz in Blog Posts

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

A Short Stranger, Chinese Food, Coincidence, Fortune Cookie, Laws of Attraction, Manifestation, melissa kotler schwartz, My Fortune, strangers, strangersihaveknown

Tonight I had Chinese food for dinner with my family. The restaurant kindly gave us extra fortune cookies because we’re regulars. When I opened mine, at first I couldn’t believe my eyes. It said, “A short stranger will soon enter your life with blessings to share.”

 As you know I have a blog called “Strangers I Have Known.” Call it a coincidence, but I think not: I have been eating Chinese food and fortune cookies since I was in grade school and I have never seen this fortune before. I’m a believer in what they call the Law of Attraction, and this feels like a manifestation—that is, this particular fortune came to me because on some level I requested it.

I wonder, is this short stranger a man or a woman? I’ll have to wait and see. All I know is that he or she won’t be a stranger for long.

Please comment if you’ve ever received a fortune that has come true.

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The Sunnyside Up Waitress

20 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Melissa Kotler Schwartz in Blog Posts

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

A Conversation, Andy Griffith Show, Aunt Bee, Classes, Coffee, Grateful, Happiness, melissakotlerschwartz, Odd Time, strangersihaveknown, Sunny Disposition, Sunnyside Up, Truckdriver, Waffle House

“Hey,” the waitress said, smiling at me. I had barely walked in the door. She looked around the restaurant, as if she had just noticed that it was pretty empty. “I guess you can sit anywhere.”

It was 2:45p.m. The thing that’s great about Waffle House is that even when you go at an odd time, it’s not odd. There’s always someone there or someone about to come in. You can always sit at the counter and strike up a conversation.

“So, do you know what you want or do you need a little time? Do you want some juice or coffee?” the waitress asked.

She had a sunny disposition. Her freckles seemed to match her friendly demeanor. She had fine straight brown hair to the top of her shoulders and warm delicate light brown eyes. I guessed her to be about nineteen.

We started talking because she wasn’t busy.

“I’m glad it’s slow now,” she said, “because it gives me a chance to think about this paper I have to write for my English class. You know, I’m taking four classes and it’s all good because I work here in the morning five days a week and then I have three hours off in the afternoon before my classes. Two of my classes are online, which is great, and two are on campus. It’s a good balance. It all works out because I get to see my fiancé in the late afternoon before my classes.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” I said.

I was thinking that someone else might complain about having to work five days a week and take four classes and try to save some money for a wedding and college, but instead she was grateful.

What is happiness? This is something I’ve been pondering lately. Why is it that some people waste their time complaining and holding grudges while other people just make the best of what’s handed to them?

An elderly couple got up slowly from a booth. “Bye,” they said to the waitress.

“I’ll get the door for you,” she said and ran around the counter to help them.

“We’re fine, we can get it…”

“No, it’s okay,” she said and held it open for them. “Bye, have a good day, see you soon.”

“Are they regulars?” I asked her.

“Yes, they come in here a couple times a week. They’re so cute.”

“You know,” she said as turned to the manager, who had just walked in, “Jack didn’t come in today. I hope he’s okay. Maybe I should call him. Maybe he’s sick.”

“He’ll be fine,” the manager said. “Let’s worry about it if he doesn’t show up tomorrow.”

I was amazed that they have phone numbers of their regulars, or at least some of their regulars. How touching that they keep an eye out for them.

I looked at the waitress. She was talking to a truck driver in the corner booth. She poured him a coffee. They said something to each other. She laughed and then he laughed. She’ll do just fine in her life, I thought. It’s such a pleasure for everyone to spend time with someone who has a sunny disposition.

Listen to Aunt Bee on The Andy Griffith Show

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Hannah Brencher – The Love Letter Writer

13 Tuesday Nov 2012

Posted by Melissa Kotler Schwartz in Blog Posts

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Tags

Cheering Up, Hannah Brechner, Heart, Love, Love Letters, melissakotlerschwartz, New York City, Old-Fashioned, Paper, Places, Profession, strangersihaveknown, Surprise

I’m always looking for stranger stories and so it was a real surprise to come across a woman, Hannah Brencher, whose profession is to write love letters to strangers. What I love about her story is she followed her heart and it led her to an interesting career cheering people up. How fun it must be to find one of her letters let’s say on your chair at Starbucks. Her goodness has spread and now she has a team of volunteers that write love letters.

Her journey began when she was living in New York City after she finished college. She felt lonely and fell into a deep depression. The way she handled her depression is extraordinary. She decided to write “love letters” to strangers. In the process she not only felt better, but she realized what she wanted to do with her life. She pointed out that in her generation, there are many people that have never received a letter. “It’s a paperless world,” she said.

Today, I’m posting her video to honor her. I’m inspired by people like her that follow their hearts not always sure where it will lead them, but taking the risk anyway.

Please leave me a comment if you’ve been inspired by her to write a letter to a stranger or to someone you know or love.

Right now, I’m thinking of some fun places to leave some letters.

Visit her website here-
http://hannahkaty.com

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Melissa Kotler Schwartz

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  • My New Book is Out! strangersihaveknown.com/2016/07/12/my-… https://t.co/vthGgkEbEp 3 years ago
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Recent Posts

  • My New Book is Out!
  • The Silverton Post Office
  • Strangers with Word Limits
  • Surprise! Strangers Can Improve Your Commute
  • Malavika Varadan, an Expert on How to Talk with Strangers

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Books I Love

  • Bird by Bird
  • Life Work
  • Mrs. Bridge
  • On Paradise Drive
  • The Greatest of Marlys
  • The Long Loneliness
  • The Merry Recluse
  • What It Is

Favorite Blogs

  • 100 Strangers Project
  • Cowbird
  • Humans of New York
  • Sentimental Value
  • Stachist
  • Wow Women on Writing

Links

  • Welcome the "Other"

Podcasts

  • KCRW Strangers

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