Has a stranger left an impact on you?
By katsmeow1213
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
United States
June 12, 2008 8:23am CST
Has a complete stranger ever left such an impact on you that you have found yourself changing habits and little ways you live your life? I'm not talking about celebrity types, I'm talking just a person that you happened to meet either online or in real life, that has inadvertantly made you change your life?
I was just sitting in the kitchen, slicing and toasting some homemade bread for my son and I to have for breakfast when I was pondering this. Up until recently, I'd only ever made homemade bread once, and it was with a machine. Then I happened upon a person's blog that contained a basic bread recipe. That weekend I tried it, and of course failed to do it correctly. Three tries later I finally had a very good tasting bread (not perfect, but good). Since that day I have not bought bread, I make it every day. This homemade bread has become the staff of my life. I eat it with every meal.. where as with store bought bread I'd only eat it with sandwiches. Two days ago I made potato bread, yesterday was white bread, tonight I'll be making cheese bread.
Now what's funny is I'm not limiting myself to homemade bread. Thanks to this person who, without even knowing they did it, who taught me the wonders of homemade bread, I have learned that bread is not the only thing that is better home made. You will no longer catch me buying packaged cookies or brownies or any sort of snack. I won't even buy the box! Everything comes from scratch these days, and I feel so good about that. It's cheaper, healthier because of no preservatives, and of course it tastes a million times better.
I also want to see what else I can make myself. I am soon going to begin making my own fruit preserves.
So that is how a complete stranger changed my life, but they don't even know it.
1 person likes this
4 responses
@gwenns (255)
• Singapore
12 Jun 08
I remembered once when I was a kid, i was learning how to ride a bicycle.. a passer-by walked past and saw me struggling to balance, he told me to look forward and not look at the ground. That's how I learn how to ride a bike. Well, it's not life-changing, but it made me felt grateful that I can ride on a bike because of him ;D
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
12 Jun 08
And you remember it all these years later, that is so great. That is a pretty big impact. It may have been a very small gesture, but it stuck with you.
@sk66rc (4250)
• United States
14 Jun 08
I'm not sure if this counts as one but here it is... Once, fresh out of college, I took a summer course in cooking, & no I still can't cook... It was just over a summer since I didn't get a job right away after graduating from college... At the end of it, the course gave us an option to goto Germany... I signed up for it... One night in Germany, of course not knowing the language, I was standing in front of a restaurant & there was a sub-way station right behind me... I was waiting for one of the class mate to finish paying the dinner bill & come outside... I wasn't really in the mood to dress up & I think it was a German's version of fast food place... I had a hat on & I felt sweaty on my head so I took it off to wipe my forhead... I was holding the hat on one hand & all of sudden out of nowhere, a stranger walking by slowed down, goes in her pocket & takes some change out, puts'em in my hat & walks away... Then she turns around few steps away, says something then gives me a smile & thumbs up... Then I realized from the reflection on the window of the restaurant, I looked really like a bum... lol... raggy sweat pants, sweat stained, sorry, t-shirt standing infront of a restaurant with hat out in my hand... She must have thought I was hungry... Now when I go out to city, when I see an unfortunate homeless person, I can't pass them without remembering that moment... So I take some change out of my pocket & try to help them...
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
14 Jun 08
That must have been slightly embarassing... but it taught you a valuable lesson about life.
@ersmommy1 (12587)
• United States
12 Jun 08
Once I was in the supermarket. I had a basket load of food. The person behind me had a few items. She allowed me to get in front of her. It was so sweet. This was nearly a decade ago. I put this into practice now myself. Little acts of kindness go a long way
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
14 Jun 08
Yes they do, and it's amazing how such a small act can leave such a strong impact on us.
@GreenMoo (11833)
•
14 Jun 08
There are lots of ideas and thoughts that I've picked up from internet discussions and specialist sites that have coloured the way that I live my life now. They encouraged me to believe that it was OK to do things a different way and to question the way we behaved. And of course, there are those who have answered all the questions that I've posed and provided heaps of infomation.
All those people are strangers, but I hope they realise that by sharing their thoughts and knowledge that they have contributed to developing my plans.
