Day 346 of 365 "Tony"

Meet Anthony from San Clemente, CA. 

The one word that best describes Anthony's life today is "Fortunate."  The reason Anthony chose this word is because "look at where we live" he said.  "We don't have to worry about war or disease and we have more than most people in the world" he continued.

If Anthony could change one thing in the world, he would "Want people to be more approachable and open to meeting each other."  The way he would go about making this change is by engaging in conversation with strangers and meeting new people.

One year from today, Anthony would like to have added to his savings account as he plans for the future.

If Anthony's life were a movie, it would be about an inside look into the mind and thoughts of a person who believes in having strong character and a perspective that has shaped his world view.  The title of his movie would be called "Tony."

I met Anthony and his friend this morning at Heisler Park as they were sitting on a bench overlooking Rockpile surf break.

Our conversation flowed naturally as we shared a similar interest in meeting new people.  When I approached Anthony and asked if I could interview him, he asked me questions about what it's for and what am I going to do with the photograph.  This told me that he was interested and wanted to engage in a conversation.

I realized Anthony is a people person and values relationships.  He shared with me that he's had jobs where the company has trained him the value of customer service and treating people with respect.  In return, Anthony feels valued and wants to go above and beyond expectations for his employer. 

As I'm coming to the end of the year of meeting one person a day, I've identified a theme that continues to come up. The theme has been a desire for people to be part of something bigger than themselves and become more connected to one another.

After meeting Anthony today and hearing his desire for people to be more approachable and open to meeting new people, I'm motivated to continue meeting one new person a day.  Thanks Anthony for the encouragement and for joining me on this journey.