Making Friends with Everyone

“A friend may be waiting behind a stranger’s face.” ― Maya Angelou, Letter to My Daughter

I grew up in Lugoj, a small town in Romania, with about 60,000 people. I knew many people of all ages, some of whom were my friends and others were my parents’ friends. And then there were the strangers who were not really strangers, as we children had to be polite, have good manners, and talk to everyone without the stranger-fear implanted in our souls like a tight screw.

During a group strength-training class where we work out in teams, our instructor told me, “I love how you make friends with everyone,” which reminded me of my ease of connecting with people as my superpower.

I am known for being a social butterfly and particularly good at making new friends all over the world, but this didn’t just happen without the right upbringing and the constant cultivation of my genuine interest in anyone I meet.

Observation and a warm hug

I never thought making new friends was hard work because I grew up talking to strangers and giving and receiving hugs and kisses from friends and strangers. As a matter of fact, whenever I met someone we knew, my mom reminded me to give them a hug and a kiss, since…