We were wandering about all alone in a new city when we bumped into a stranger who turned into a friend.
It all started with Sid talking to a random stranger as I stepped out of our hotel in Vietnam. The gregarious old wrinkly man, in a brown tweed jacket, asked us where we are headed. On showing him the address written on a piece of paper, he made a handful of calls, got directions, and showed us the way! If only we knew that this little encounter would be a total game changer!
Later that night, we overheard someone saying, 'Hello, how was you day?', as Sid and I walked the noisy Bui Ven Street! We turned back, and as fate would have it, we saw the same old man, in a florescent green vest, waving at us! We couldn't help, but walk towards him with each endearing smile he sent our way. I am Bob, he said, in a gravelly voice! Can I buy you two a drink? We, of course, couldn't say no his kind offer, and above all, his ubiquitous smile!
After talking to him for some time, we learnt that he was a 72-year-old Australian resident. He rented out his house back in Australia and started to follow his long lost passion, which was traveling! He traveled more than 25 countries, ever since he retired. He hiked the steepest mountains and explored the deepest oceans! He danced to the tunes of music and lip synced to his favorite songs. His passion towards life and becoming proficient in new endeavors screamed how age is just a number! What else could we have asked for? A man, full of life and bright eyes, who had endless stories to narrate about his travels, and life in general! We still remember him saying, 'A body in motion stays in motion. A body in bed gets depressed'. We were absolutely mesmerized by his infectious energy and awe-inspiring stories. He kept tapping into our deepest veins as the clock ticked!
That's when we realized how easily we give up on things at times, crib about the most irrational things in life. That is when we asked ourselves a question! What do we do with a dream that deferred? Do we let it dry up like a raisin in the sun, or let it fester like a sore and run? Suddenly, the realization hit us hard. We knew the answers in our heads! That night was a turning point in our lives. We talked for hours without even realizing how the time flew by. Somewhere down the line, he taught us how we should value the journey, no matter where we are in life, and make the most of it!
It's crazy how a stranger, unknowingly, teaches you so much about life and makes your world go round. We must have read the same things he told us, a thousand times, but we could never really relate to it. Funny how it hits you hard, when it comes from a stranger. We thanked him for changing our perspective on life, right before calling it a night. It's unbelievable how a small encounter with a stranger can make such big difference in your life. We are better persons today, than we were yesterday. More peaceful and contented. Happier than ever. If it wasn't for him, all this wouldn't be possible! It's so heartwarming to meet nice people in today's crazy world. It is something we never take for granted.
And, that's how a small encounter with a stranger, who taught us to make every moment count, turned into a friendship of a lifetime!
