Are We Afraid of Strangers? Or Ourselves?

We are taught from a young age not to talk to strangers. In my city, we navigate our lives wrapped in psychic armor. Headphones on, eyes down, avoiding contact. Unsolicited friendliness is interpreted not as kindness, but as a scam, a threat, or a sign of mental instability.

Our interactions are increasingly transactional, optimized for speed at the expense of connection. This constant state of guardedness, while perhaps feeling safe, slowly starves us. It creates a world that feels anonymous, cold, and lonely, even when we are surrounded by millions.

My perspective was shattered in a small Greek village.

I was admiring the figs on a tree in someone's yard, and the owner, a 'yiayia' I'd never met, came rushing out, not to chase me away, but to insist on filling a bag for me to take. This is 'Philoxenia' - literally, "love of strangers."

It's the belief that a stranger is not a threat to be feared, but a potential friend to be welcomed. It is a conscious choice to lower the drawbridge of our personal castle and see the humanity in everyone we meet.

I am trying to practice this at home. It feels surprisingly vulnerable. But the alternative, this cold efficiency we live in, feels so much more dangerous to the human spirit. I'm choosing to believe that the quickest way to feel at home in the world is to make others feel at home with me.

Let's practice 'Philoxenia' in an age of suspicion. Join a community committed to connection and find your courage in the "Greece Unboxed" Club.

#Philoxenia

#StrangerDanger

#HumanConnection

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#GoGreekForADay