As I was walking my dog yesterday, I came across a neighbor’s kid who was outside practicing soccer.
He was jumping up and down passing the ball one foot to the other presumably drilling ball handling skills.
But, when he saw my dog and I coming, he subtly grabbed the ball and walked off his front lawn, up his driveway, and to the back of his house—completely out of sight as we passed.
And it made me feel bad/sad.
I don’t know if he was shy or if I looked intimidating or if my dog looked intimidating or what…
But, I certainly didn’t want to interrupt his practice or make him feel awkward.
And I certainly would’ve said “Hi” and smiled as we passed.
Heck, I would’ve even kicked the ball with him if he hit it my way and we could’ve become acquainted as neighbor friends.
I write this as a reminder that not every stranger is out to get you… that not every social interaction is going to be as awkward or one-sided as you might think… that there is a lot more good in the world than the news/media might make you believe.
And while it’s undoubtedly important to teach people to be cautious (as a martial arts instructor, this is one of the major lessons I teach)… I’d argue it’s just as important to teach people to be brave.