The people we meet..

This world is an amazing place. It’s the most intriguing place we will ever know.

Have you ever stopped to think about all the people you've met throughout your life? From people we've formed strong bonds with, to strangers whom we engaged in one conversation, one fleeting glance of familiarity, it's a beautiful thing. What’s your earliest memory of meeting someone? I remember quite a few of my earliest meetings, I met a girl called Elizabeth when I was 4. She turned out to be one of my best friends until I was 13 and she moved away. She was my neighbour in Watford- my summer buddy.

I wrote this on that one gorgeous, sunny Sunday past, and staring out of my window, listening to the great acapella sounds of Straight No Chaser's rendition of Africa (by Toto) I thought: "all these people, going about their day, they all have an interesting story... I'll never get to hear them all... I'll stereotype them, squeeze them into categories based on looks, style, whatever... But I don't know them. I never will." 

Back in my second year of uni, I tried to prove to my dad that I could be financially independent and took up the role of a door-to-door salesgirl- because obviously, a job based solely on commission is the best way to prove this! I realised my mistake as soon as I stepped off the bus but I thought I'd keep on truckin' (as Kobe once, so eloquently, said... -_-) so I did. Going from door to door trying to sell people a far less superior option for phone and broadband courtesy of Talk Talk, telling them about the sheer awesomeness of the fibre optics that Virgin was already offering at a better rate - not my exact words. On that first day I had been yelled at, I had been heavily side-eyed by an old lady who probably didn't get many black visitors. I had a dog chase me for a few houses and I had been invited into the home of a man who may well have been Patrick from Scrubs (he was Heather Graham’s neurotic patient who warns us all that “they’re here! Ignite the tractor beam! Chhh!”)! Now this man lived with his lady friend who was missing a huge amount of teeth but gave me a very warm, gummy smile regardless. I smiled back but thought myself quite an asshole showing off my complete set of pearly whites, so opted for an extension of my lips- forcibly pursed, fighting the urge to show my shiny, white teeth! They were extremely friendly but I can almost certainly guarantee you that I have never said the Lord's Prayer with such fervour. Programmed to look at strangers as 'the other', dangerous and to be steered clear of, I was only acting the way I thought would keep me safe from whatever harm these people may wish to cause me. I remember thinking that that would be an interesting way to go... "Died in the hands of the coked up bandit and his toothless lady friend". I obliged, out of sheer curiousity and not enough of a handle on reality, clearly. 

I was only in there for about 15 minutes but in that time, I did find out that these two were planning a camping trip (ironically their house already seemed like a fort set up in flimsy nylon with just a sleeping bag and a portable stove but whatever, they probably just needed a change of scene). They didn't kill me, but had such horrible credit that they couldn't cash in on the amazing Talk Talk bonanza. As I walked out of Tom and Sarah's little love shack (if you will permit me to call it that) I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with guilt., I had no clue who these people were, not them, not their struggles - nothing. So why was I so quick to judge? They seemed perfectly content with their existence, more than I was at the time. I was the one going door to door, bothering people, walking in the hot sun, knowing that no sale equals no pay! They were the ones in their home, obviously smitten with each other, oblivious to the things I noticed and extremely excited for their camping trip... I didn’t have a camping trip to look forward to.

I had a chat with my friend over lunch about how quick we all are in judging others. We don't mean to do it... sometimes. It's so automatic we are so far into the sizing up of our fellow humans before we realise we're doing it. There's a drummer who goes around W1 with his pots, buckets and pans, drumming up a storm. He is one of the most talented drummers I have ever heard. His name is Joe and I had the opportunity to chat with him in between 'sets' one evening. Joe is from the Caribbean, he's a young guy who is so absolutely content with his life. He gets to travel around, entertaining people, attracting a generous crowd, he's been featured on many Youtube pages. I asked him something along the lines of if he was happy doing this, and he smiled at me and said yes. His mum doesn't know what he's doing out here, he laughs as he tells me, "but she knows I'm happy." Am I even that happy? I struggle to get up each morning, long for the weekend and only manage to get through work days. Joe probably springs out of bed in the morning (or afternoon, whenever he arises) and just sets up shop at a different venue each evening and he drums and drums and drums.

This is Joe! You can find him drumming and being his lovely happy self somewhere on Oxford Street 

He is an amazing drummer who uses plastic buckets, pans and pots to create amazing sounds. 

It's easy to assume that Joe is worse off than we are or that Tom and Sarah lead a miserable life? How much is our happiness based on quantity? Materialism  And societal ideals?  Happiness is relative... 

Since the start of the year, I have challenged myself to do at least one thing that brings me joy each week... I'm doing well so far and I have discovered so much in the process. You should try it, it doesn't have to be an elaborate plan, you will find that happiness could come in the form of the little things we sometimes overlook... Playing my ukulele, Zuke, brings me so much joy so I started going to an Ukulele Hootenanny at the Queen of Hoxton on Monday nights. It really does make my Mondays better.  

Ukulele Hootenanny

What I have taken away from every memorable encounter I have had is that regardless of your situation, happiness is lurking, waiting for you to find it. These people are going on about their lives, doing things that make them happy despite whatever other difficulties life may throw their way. It's so easy to be consumed by our problems and forget that there is still the potential to be happy - to find happiness. 

Thoughts and prayers are with the victims of the Boston attack.