what color are their eyes?
You go through life without really looking at anyone's face. You could be walking down the street, riding the U-Bahn, standing in a room full of people at a party, and you can drift through all of it without once looking at a face. If you do happen to catch someone's eyes, the moment they meet yours, you look away fast. Like you got caught doing something you shouldn't be doing.
It makes the world feel lonely. Crowds of people around you and somehow you're invisible in the middle of them, and so is everyone else.
Here's an idea to try. Start noticing eye color. Next time you pass someone on the street, or you're stuck at a party not knowing what to say, or you're just standing at a crosswalk waiting for the light, ask yourself one question: what color are their eyes?
You don't have to smile. You don't have to say anything. You just have to look, actually look, and notice the color.
That's it. That's all.
A place to start. Maybe from there, you build something bigger.