Stranger

You’re not one to believe in love at first sight. It is not that it’s too good to be true. For you, it’s a bit superficial and nonsensical. Not that you’re not a romantic. But love at first sight all boils down to physical attraction in your opinion. So you wonder, what that overwhelming jolt you felt when you met that stranger could be. Why you got a bit lightheaded when you two started talking? Why has your heart started galloping in your chest? Here is what’s happening; love at first sight might be a myth, but connection at first sight isn’t, and here are its stages…

Stage #1 Your Eyes Keep Going Back to Them 

It doesn’t matter how crowded the place is, it doesn’t matter that your attention is needed elsewhere. You’re not recovering from the jolt of seeing them yet. Why? You don’t know. Your eyes keep drifting back to this person, and it feels like you’ve been charged with electricity when their eyes land on you too.

Stage #2 You Feel A Euphoric Sense of Relaxation & Warmth 

Something inside you recognises this person, as if you’re meant to get to know them. Call it déjà vu, coincidence; it might also be  due to the fact that we are often attracted to those we perceive to be similar to us. Which instills an almost instantaneous feeling of familiarity with that person.

Stage #3 When You Two Talk Something Clicks 

You’re lucky if you reach this stage. Talking to strangers is not that common after all. But if circumstance were on your side, you might have a common friend who would introduce you, or one of you will gather up their courage and say hi…and when this happens, something falls into place. You feel in sync with this stranger, who is not a stranger anymore.

Stage #4 You Wish Time Will Stop

Now that you started to get to know each other, you want to freeze the clock. You want to elongate your time with this person who you feel like you’re completely in tune with. Because even though you barely know them, you find yourself effortlessly completing each other’s sentences and reading each other’s minds…

Stage #5 You Notice Every Small Detail About Them 

It’s like everyone around you disappeared and there is only this person. You notice everything about them; the sound of their laugh, the colour of their eyes, the excitement that went through them when they talked about a certain thing… It’s like they are a fascinating creature you see for the first time.

Stage #6 You Can Be Your Most Authentic Self With Them

That’s it. That sealed the deal for you. You like this person. You felt at ease with them, like you don’t want to pretend to be someone you’re not. And the freedom that comes with being able to be yourself is priceless, and hard to find with someone, not to mention a stranger.

Stage #7 You Don’t Want To Lose Touch With Them

The clock doesn’t seem to stop. And you’re vastly approaching the minute you two should say goodbye, so your mind starts racing if you should ask for their number. Or ask them out on a date. Or anything other than surrendering to the idea that this was just a one time meeting. This stage is critical, and could be the start of something good.

And that’s how you connect with a stranger. Only the lucky among us can find that, and the luckier are the ones who can make something out of it.