strangers, sincerity, and minnesota

At a gas station last year in a rural part of Minnesota an older man, maybe in his mid-50's stopped me as I was walking inside and said "Excuse me, I dont know what your heritage is, but I love it!". At that time I would normally get ticked off when men approached me in public, but he was so sincere - I didn't sense he had any hidden agenda. "May I ask what your background is?" I told him very briefly. He said a sentence or two more about my 'heritage', and I thanked him. At that point in my life I would usually get out of the conversation as quickly as possible and feel resentful. This was so different though - it was a genuine moment that left me thinking not so much about the words but about the sincerity, vulnerability, and kindness with which he said them.

Sincerity is my favorite quality in a person, and even people who come across a little rough or awkward around the edges have a special place in my heart if they say what they mean (and mean what they say), and are never sideways about anything. Living in the mid-west, more importantly in Minnesota where "Minnesota nice" passive-aggresively seeps into most conversations, I've gravitated more and more towards these individuals. As a result I also spend more time thinking about how sincere I really am and how I can make my interactions more genuine.