I'm Curious

This was inspired a curious thought that entered my head one day after a meeting with a professor.

People. We interact with them on a daily basis, from the time we wake up in the morning until the time we go to bed. Throughout every day of our lives, we meet people—from the gas station attendant who fills our cars for our morning commute, to the waitress who brings us our first coffee at our favorite diner, to the new Xerox repairman who entered our office building for the first time. Most of these people we meet are transient, they’re in our lives for a moment and then they’re gone without really making all that much of an impact.

And then, for reasons unexplained, there are moments in our lives when we meet someone and something audibly clicks in our brains. It’s a small click, many of us probably don’t even hear the sound, but that click sets something in motion. This stranger has done something to us, without our knowledge. This person, for better or for worse, is going to have an impact on the way we think, on the choices we make, on the very course of our lives. Sometimes we’re grateful for the impact, and other times, we wish it had never happened. Regardless of the end outcome, this seeming stranger has taught us something about ourselves, and in some way, has lead to a path of self-discovery. 

So I wonder, what makes that connection happen in the first place? What is it about someone else that says "wow, you're going to influence my life?" I had that experience last year in grad school, where I allowed someone to turn my world upside down (in the non-romantic sense) and it has stayed upside down ever since. That person's opinion of me matters more then my own opinion of me. And I'm curious, as to the why? Because I can't really quite figure it out. Perhaps I never will. It's still fun to think about though.