You shouldn’t talk to strangers,

My mother told me that when I was little.

I taught it to my kids.

Once when my son was small, 

He tried talking to a man we didn’t know.

I tried to pull him away as good mothers should,

The man said in his wisdom,

“Young man, did your mother tell you not to talk to strangers?”

My four year old looked into eyes never seen before,

And nodded his head affirming this was true.

See mom, I listened to you, I told him not to do it.

The man then said, “Why are you talking to me?”

My son looked shocked, and we walked into the store.

Impactful lesson learned.

Jump ahead to modern day,

We both talk to strangers now, we love them.

The more the better, we crave the attention,

I often wonder, 

Is that why as a young boy, he wanted to reach that man.

Is that why I strike up the conversation with the woman in the gym?

Using the machine I’m waiting on.

Just to encourage her to keep going,

Or is it to encourage me?

Why can’t we talk to strangers?

Why do we have that rule that we set in place so early in life?

We try to stifle friendship,

We tell people to keep silent…

To walk away…

When as an adult,

I found myself sleeping in a bed next to a stranger,

Keeping the rule my mother gave me.

Don’t talk to strangers..ok mom I heard you, I was silent for 14 years.

I didn’t talk to the stranger I was married to.

He didn’t talk to me,

I never cried out loud.

We taught our kids not to talk to strangers.

We became the strangers in the house.

Everyone was silent..

Maybe it’s time to rethink this rule?

©️2004 Marsha L. Brown