I saw it as an important part of my job to speak to everyday folks about a subject of happiness or concern while they waited on line at the post office for example, or rode the subway or ambled home from work. It was part of the art form to come off instantly as congenial and non-threatening, while asking often very personal questions my on the fly. Fortunately, it helped that I was genuinely interested in what people had to say – whether it was a thought or a feeling pegged to the news, (eg, 9/11, tobacco being outlawed in bars) or the “spiritual” dimension within a secular holiday (eg, what is “work?” for Labor Day, or “what makes you feel cherished by your partner” for Valentine’s Day), the answers were often touching and unexpected and helped me to feel connected and awake to the experiences of total strangers.