This past Saturday while my family and I were returning from our day of Earth Weekend festivities, we waited at the bus stop at Cesar Chavez & Brazos waiting for the 26 to arrive. While standing there watching some students apply a “Don’t Dump” decal on the storm drain, I met a man whose name I never got (I asked at one point, but my question was poorly timed and I never got back around to it). He was probably in his late 50s with gray hair and aviator sunglasses. He carried a small bag and was dressed modestly. You wouldn’t get any specific impression of him just watching him. He just looked like a normal guy waiting at a bus stop.

He engaged me in a little conversation. Those who truly know me in social situations would know that I am polite, but stand-offish. With strangers, I’m usually more interested in figuring out how to end a conversation than I am in continuing one. But, if you’re called to love a city… you can’t be stand-offish. If you’re called to actually care for people, you have to begin to fight the bad habits that keep you separated from the rest of humanity. So, instead of remaining stand-offish, I decided to talk with him and ask some questions with genuine interest.

It turns out that he is a world traveler whose sailboat got struck by lightning in the Gulf along with getting hit by 60 knot winds that broke his riggings and damaged his mast. He’s now got another week and a half to wait for parts, so he decided to come inland and pay a visit to some friends in Austin and catch some good music. I was honored to discover that he’s a retired Army veteran of Viet Nam and Korea. He spoke of the army fondly and once was proud to serve with some South Koreans from the White Horse Division (he decided to mention these men he served with once he learned my wife and I were both born in South Korea.) His wife passed away 8 years ago due to breast cancer. He sails by himself in a type of boat that was a “Something” 24 (I didn’t recognize the name, I think the 24 means it’s 24 feet long) – he’s traveled all over in that boat and you can tell he is enjoying his independence.

We were on the bus together and he took out a little book that you could tell was important by the way he handled it – it was a well-cared for photo album. He showed us a picture of his 35 year old daughter and his two grand daughters – the eldest, 17, is about to start at USC. His face shone with pride as he talked about these girls that were obviously so important to him that he carried a photo album at the ready to show others this part of his life. I was so honored to meet this man and doubly honored that he would take the time to share some of his memories with us and even open up his precious photos on a bus to some strangers.

I was very moved by this encounter and God has used this encounter to bolster my efforts to acquaint myself with people. To look beyond myself and engage others – not with the goal of telling them about me, but to let them talk – let them tell their stories. I’m excited to see who lies around the next corner and what their story might hold.