The Day I Really Understood the Power of Human Connection

The human touch. The way we interact with each other is pretty remarkable. Now I don’t just mean talking with a person. Communication is needed, but there is something else needed to really truly understand a person. And that is to listen.

By listening to another person’s story, where they come from, who they are, and what they have been through, you can really get to know the true soul of a person. We get so tangled up in our own lives that we forget to listen to those around us. Through listening to others, we get to open our minds to human connection. This has shown to be true through many forms of media, such as Humans of New York.

I have always believed in this as well. I remember one person who’s story really intrigued me. It was an afternoon in Weehawken and I just got off the ferry after spending the day in Manhattan. When I was on the way to my car, I noticed a young woman sitting next to a tree in a nearby park. She had short black/brownish hair, wore a blue shirt, and had dark blue eyes. She had a sign next to her saying that she needed money for food. She also had next to her pieces of art she made. The next thing I knew, I sat down and we started to converse.

She told me about the troubles she was having in her life and how she was moving forward. She also told me about the places she has been to and how she was on her way to Upstate New York to meet with friends she will be staying with for the time being. Just hearing her story fascinated me, knowing how each person had something about themselves that made them who they are today.

At the end of our conversation, I dropped a dollar in the hat next to her. She said thank you, to which I replied that it was no problem. From there, I started to walk to my car and drove back home.

Although it was only a few years ago, somehow it still remains in my mind. The truth of the matter is, anyone’s story can do that. Any person you come across in life can have a story that can leave an impact. From a CEO to the average Joe or Jane you bump into, they all have a story to tell. I guess that’s why it is called the human touch. I always wonder what story each person on this planet has to tell.