Amazing things happen when we leave our comfort zones and reach out to strangers. An instance of this took place recently at Brad’s Bar-B-Que in Oxford, Alabama, just off Highway 78.

As reported by CNN , Jamario Howard and two of his friends had just ordered at Brad’s when Jamario noticed an older woman sitting at another table by herself. Thinking that he’d hate to eat alone, Jamario did something that many would otherwise not consider—he went over to the woman and asked if he could sit with her for a moment. She said “yes,” and Jamario soon learned that the woman, named Eleanor, had recently lost her husband and the following day would have been their 60 th wedding anniversary.

Hearing this, Jamario invited Eleanor to join him and two friends for dinner. Eleanor agreed. Over the meal, the four talked about “everyday life, sharing stuff about each other.” A Facebook post with a photo of Eleanor, Jamario and his friends at the restaurant went viral thereafter, with more than 44,000 shares.

As Jamario wrote, “The point in this is always be kind and nice to people. You never know what they are going through. This woman changed my outlook on life and how I look at other people.”

This is exactly what I attempt to teach—the power of human familiarity, of getting to know someone who is “different” from you and of then understanding that everyone is simply seeking to survive the Human Condition. Way to go Jamario! Thank you for paying attention to those around you and for being brave!