Advice from a Stranger

<p><strong>I asked 70 strangers, ''Please give me a piece of life advice.'' I used their responses as inspiration to write my next poem. This poetry collection is the result.</strong></p><p><br></p><p>The youngest stranger I asked was six years old. The oldest stranger was eighty-something.</p><p><br></p><p>Some were asked in the queue at the supermarket or the post office. One time I asked the waiter at a restaurant. I also asked Joanne, who was trying to sell me car insurance over the phone.</p><p><br></p><p>My favourite? It''s hard to choose. "Don''t tie your shoelace in a revolving door" said by a chap called Russell was a corker.</p><p>"Spend time with the people you love" said Nicole, aged nine, on a particular day when I was feeling alone, really pulled on my heart strings.</p><p>And then ''Make every day count'' said Matt, was a particular fond memory. I met this stranger by chance in a woodland car park. It was a cold winter''s day and I had been for a run in the woods. Caked in mud I arrived back at the car park only to find I had somehow locked my car keys in the car. He was an incredibly kind man and he drove me to my house and back to get my spare keys. </p><p><br></p><p>During the car journey, with conversation flowing, of course I had to ask him for his life advice.  </p><p><br></p><p>When I was younger I was told, ''don''t talk to strangers.'' </p><p>Good advice. </p><p>But on this occasion, I am so glad I did.</p><p><br></p>