RE: I am talking to *YOU* -- Work hard, play hard, no time to meet or socialize with new people. You're a turtle if you do!!
It is so difficult to get out and approach new people but I remember my father-in-law. At the time it was frustrating to go places an then wait while he chatted on with a stranger who just happened to be standing near where we paused. No one in an elevator would miss out on talking to him. The people at a crossing walk had an extended conversation about their day's errands. Since he passed on that is one of the things I miss about him.
One of my husband's big embarrassments when he was younger was that everytime they travelled to a new city his dad would find a phone book and start calling all the people with his last name in case they might be related. His family history had been lost when his father (my husband's grandfather) had died young and since then he felt a need to connect.
He was a very intelligent man and knew a lot about a lot of things. I can imagine it was both from talking to everyone (about whom he was always sincerely interested in) and from getting out and trying new things. He was 102 years old when he died and he never ran out of curiosity concerning everything and everyone around him.
Wow. Never heard of that before, thanks for explaining why he did it though. Was he ever lucky enough to find anyone that was related?
Fantastic comment, thank for sharing these things. Very interesting!!
Sadly is other son found a contact a few years later on the internet after he died so he didn't know about it. The contact had further information that lead back to when the family immigrated to the 'states but the trail has stopped there. He continues the search...