The Power of Genuine Conversations: Lessons for a Lifelong Learner

I'd like you to meet virtually my new friend and neighbour, Abdul. He came from Pakistan and has lived permanently in the UK over the last 50 years. He runs this general shop for about 40 years. Although he is past his retirement age, he decided to continue this business even if it not raking profits for a very interesting reason - he just wants to meet people!

He has seen how this part of Glasgow changed dramatically. In the past, people would line up his shop waiting for him to open. Now, with many of them passed away already and more shops sprawled around the area, his business has greatly been affected. He could have chosen to transform using technology but he chose to run the shop traditionally. True enough, I saw his old-fashioned cash register (I got excited!), printed newspapers, small address books/carbon paper and manilla envelopes for sale! I'm telling you, I literally screamed for joy when I found these things inside, like a young kid entering the carnival for the first time!

But what I treasure about that encounter was learning how he has kept his life grounded on the basics - on the things and relationships that truly matter. He told me his past clients would patiently wait for their turn at the cashier because they would like to chat with him about life, politics and even the simplest things. I am glad he did that to me as well!

Certainly, our lives will never be the same way again. But we can still keep a bigger part of our past alive even at the present. For Abdul, it was a deliberate choice to keep his old ways until now. How many of us keep these values and virtues alive? Do we even treasure and value genuine conversations like what I had?

I'm glad his shop is just 2 blocks away from my apartment. There will be more opportunities for me to have these interesting conversations with him for sure.

I'm glad his shop is just 2 blocks away from where I stay!