A stranger is an unknown person whose life, personality and experiences remain hidden until uncovered. Once uncovered, these aspects allow the stranger to become an acquaintance, and, if lucky, they can become a friend.

Yes, you can talk to strangers from time to time, enjoy your time together, or genuinely care for them, but it is exceptionally rare for the stranger to become a friend—a permanent fixture—within your life. Most conversations with strangers usually conclude on the same day you met them; starting off as strangers, you become acquaintances and end up as strangers once more. Again, you’re lucky if they become your friend, since you might never see them again. If they do become a friend, they’re most likely going to be a friend who rarely makes the time to hang out with you.

Strangers show that friendship may be less about how often we see friends and more about the connection that remains. They show the versatility of connection—some relationships thrive with hangouts but crack with distance, but others may thrive under distance but don’t do so well with hangouts. The same also applies to people and their social preferences.

I just made this up, but people are like hidden gems. We can choose to covet them as our own, or leave them in their ore veins for someone to mine.