Beautifully written, Tommy. My heart jumped when I read the lines, “I turned back and asked how her day was. She lit up, startled by excitement.” The day before yesterday, on my way to a coffee shop in Pokhara, Nepal, I saw an older man sitting on a small bench by himself, facing the large Fewa lake this town is most known for, with a notebook on his lap, writing. I had seen him before and felt drawn to speak to him, but I was afraid of disturbing him. On my way home later that day, when I walked past the same bench facing the lake, and saw it empty, I thought of the man with the notebook and wondered how different my day perhaps would’ve been, had I stopped to say hello. Perhaps, rather than bothering him, he would have lit up, like the woman in your story. I’ll never know. But you’ve inspired me to be less afraid to speak to strangers next time!
Reading your pieces make me feel human. Another beautifully written piece, and in a world where its the easy thing to focus on the negativity, its much better to focus on the fact that people really are fascinating! Thank you yet again for another wonderful essay Tommy!
What a beautiful character portrait. I’m impressed with the depth that you got to know Salim. I agree..it’s gentle and probing. So much to glean from talking to strangers. Isn’t that what we’re doing here on Substack all the time?
Wonderful piece. And this made me laugh right off the bat: "More and more, I’m coming around to the idea that living is an equally valid way to spend my time as reading about living."
What a refreshing read. Your style is very gentle - which is so nice in this era of slap-you-in-the-face-writing.
Thank you for sharing.
“That’s the thing about clichés: I only find my way back to their truths through experience.” ✨
Beautiful writing this week Tommy. You have a gift for highlighting the stories of strangers.
Excellent, Thank you. I hope you will write about the Bible and the other books you are going to read.
I hope you will write about the Bible and the other Christian books !
Tommy, you made me think, if we truly are all connected, all “one” then strangers are parts of ourselves we haven’t met and gotten to know yet.
Such a great piece.
...congratulations on the launch!...
Love your stories and emotional landscapes. Hmm, curious about the slight differences between Swedish girls and Finnish girls. 😂🇫🇮
Beautifully written, Tommy. My heart jumped when I read the lines, “I turned back and asked how her day was. She lit up, startled by excitement.” The day before yesterday, on my way to a coffee shop in Pokhara, Nepal, I saw an older man sitting on a small bench by himself, facing the large Fewa lake this town is most known for, with a notebook on his lap, writing. I had seen him before and felt drawn to speak to him, but I was afraid of disturbing him. On my way home later that day, when I walked past the same bench facing the lake, and saw it empty, I thought of the man with the notebook and wondered how different my day perhaps would’ve been, had I stopped to say hello. Perhaps, rather than bothering him, he would have lit up, like the woman in your story. I’ll never know. But you’ve inspired me to be less afraid to speak to strangers next time!
"It’s the barriers that are boring. People are fascinating. "
I'm a fan of strangers. They seem to teach us exactly what we need to learn on that given moment.
Stunning writing as always - such a beautiful way to remind us that *actually* living holds more fruit that reading about living :)
I'm also converging to the same idea - that real people's stories are often far more insightful and inspiring than fiction.
All we must do is listen, and ask the right questions!
It doesn't matter how rough, *rough* is. This final draft is bliss.
Reading your pieces make me feel human. Another beautifully written piece, and in a world where its the easy thing to focus on the negativity, its much better to focus on the fact that people really are fascinating! Thank you yet again for another wonderful essay Tommy!
"Much of learning about life is remembering I’m not the center of the universe and there’s a lot I don’t know." ♥️🤌
What a beautiful character portrait. I’m impressed with the depth that you got to know Salim. I agree..it’s gentle and probing. So much to glean from talking to strangers. Isn’t that what we’re doing here on Substack all the time?
Wonderful piece. And this made me laugh right off the bat: "More and more, I’m coming around to the idea that living is an equally valid way to spend my time as reading about living."