A story about encounters with strangers shared by our volunteer Vera.
During the first Haagse Helpers Meets in June, I got the chance to meet new people, have conversations, and explore a new environment. I went there without really knowing what to expect, other than that it would probably be a fun new experience. Of all the people I met that day, there was one woman I clicked with quite easily.
During the pub quiz we sat next to each other, and with every song we became more enthusiastic and more like dancing. The language barrier in the room was forgotten, and everyone was dancing, waving, clapping, and moving along to the rhythm of every song. Then I complimented the woman on her scarf and the flowers on it. She said she had made it herself. Crocheting, knitting, she could do it all. I, who wasn’t nearly as skilled, was immediately impressed. While I was admiring the photos of the beautiful things she had made, she told me she had also started giving workshops in the community space of the Quiet Foundation.
Funny enough, I had that in common with her. I asked a few more questions, and as we went along, another similarity emerged: we both love painting, so she invited me to meet up sometime and paint together. She saved her number in my phone; I looked at it and when I saw her name, I was confused. I asked her what her name was, and her answer surprised me greatly: “How is it possible that we even have our names in common?” – I said. Later we left the event as the sun was setting, and we sat next to each other laughing at something I don’t quite remember anymore, until her tram came.
The weeks went by and eventually I met up with her. We met at her place, a cozy house full of trinkets. We painted, talked, and I met her shy cat while she showed me her beautiful artworks. She talked about her son, the church she goes to, and the joy she finds in making things.
It was a lovely afternoon: we had a lot of fun and we motivated each other to experiment with new art materials, and when I left, I promised her I would drop by again soon. What started with singing along to a random song ended with a second meeting. Sometimes you meet others and somehow that person brings a strange sense of familiarity with them.
