"Cool shoes!"

I've always been one who talks to strangers.  I'm sure it scared my mother to death when I was young and my wife is constantly amused by this behavior.

As I got off the train this morning at Stonewall Station and was walking down the stairs, I noticed the shoes of the woman in front of me.  This young professional was dressed in shades of grey but her shoes had bright yellow cap toes and a yellow stripe on the back.  Since I had to look down at the steps to prevent myself from falling, the bright yellow in front of me kept flashing into my vision.

I finally caught up to this woman at the corner as we were waiting for the light to change and simply said, "Cool shoes."  She immediately got a big smile on her face and told everyone on the corner how unsure she was about buying them, but that my comment made her day.

Each of you will come across at least one situation during your day where you interact with someone you don't know.  My challenge to you is to find something pleasant to say to a stranger.  Bring a smile to their face.  Trust me, it will make you both feel less cynical.  Doing this daily opens your eyes to God's beauty in others.