George and his newspaper, April 2011 | He spoke with me for a while. And he encouraged me in a way I was not expecting. He asked me what I wanted to do after college and said "Make sure you get a job in your field before you graduate! You can do so much, don't waste time because the job markets are tough now-a-day." He also told me about his life, in brief. Interestingly enough, he had a relationship with Christ and he allowed me to pray with him right there, as he patiently waited for his clothes to come out of the washateria.

One thing I won't forget is the way my heart unfurled after he spoke about his great appreciation for his feet. He travels, miles and miles, on foot. And he told me it takes him days to get to different locations. I was in complete awe. George was an amazing and extremely open man and I won't forget him. I simply can't. He shared words with me that elevated my spirits to a level I had not felt in a while that week.

This is what happens when strangers become ex-strangers become friends. Even if only for just a moment.