Advice from a Stranger

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I asked 70 strangers, ‘Please give me a piece of life advice.’ I used their responses as inspiration to write my next poem. This poetry collection is the result.

The youngest stranger I asked was six years old. The oldest stranger was eighty-something.

Some were asked in the queue at the supermarket or the post office. One time I asked the waiter at a restaurant. I also asked Joanne, who was trying to sell me car insurance over the phone.

My favourite? It’s hard to choose. Don’t tie your shoelace in a revolving door said by a chap called Russell was a corker.

Spend time with the people you love said Nicole, aged nine, on a particular day when I was feeling alone, really pulled on my heart strings.

And then ‘Make every day count’ said Matt, was a particular fond memory. I met this stranger by chance in a woodland car park. It was a cold winter’s day and I had been for a run in the woods. Caked in mud I arrived back at the car park only to find I had somehow locked my car keys in the car. He was an incredibly kind man and he drove me to my house and back to get my spare keys.

During the car journey, with conversation flowing, of course I had to ask him for his life advice.

When I was younger I was told, ‘don’t talk to strangers.’

Good advice.

But on this occasion, I am so glad I did.