People I meet

Because of the nature of my occupation, I happen to encounter new people every day. I do well to remember their faces and their names for the most part, and as I meet them again, days or weeks later, in the corridor or in the elevator, I quickly recognize them, smile, and say an acknowledging hello!

(There are occurrences however, albeit rarely, when somebody walks into my office, greets me with a grin and a remarkably firm hand shake, while I strive and fail to recall his or her name in those speeding moments. A bit awkwardly then I try steadying the ship, saying without much seeming conviction something like, “I certainly remember having met you but I am so embarrassed I am not able to recollect you name”. That isn’t good for a conversation starter, so it barely helps, and leaves me feeling quite odd and incapable- a whole lot more odd and incapable than failing to recollect my Internet banking password every fortnight!).

Now this isn’t about my occupation per se (we shall speak about the trials and tribulations of my occupation another day). The point I started off making is about that the most fascinating part of my occupation which undoubtedly is the chance to get to meet with new people every day- people who are talented, and hardworking, and successful, and at the same time warm, and modest, and considerate; people who I delightfully interact with, or who inspire me in one way or the other, or who even influence how I do what I do; people who are enthusiastic, and expressive, and often funny; people who are very different from the other as to how they approach a problem, or what kind of coffee they drink, or their upbringing, and even their backgrounds (as in physical backgrounds like deserts, oceans or mountains- because they come from every corner of the world!).

Even as I walk the path of life, I realize, it is the wonderful people I have met along the way that ranks among the best of life’s experiences. It is amongst these admirable ones I have found those that have gone on to become my friends- friends that I as enjoyably have a conversation with today, as I foresee having, when I am possibly ninety years old!