I asked the WordPress AI assistant to “tell me a story about a man who would have talked to a woman, if only when the opportunity for him to confidently greet her happened but did not.” The statement in the parenthesis is the prompt I used to generate the content you’d be reading in the next section.
Here’s what the AI wrote:
Once upon a time in a bustling city, there lived a man named Alexander. He was an introverted soul who often found it difficult to initiate conversations, especially with women he found intriguing. Despite his longing to connect with others, he was held back by his own self-doubt and insecurities.
One sunny day, as Alexander strolled through a local park, he noticed a woman sitting on a bench, engrossed in a book. Her radiant smile caught his attention, and his heart skipped a beat. Alexander felt an instant connection, as if fate had brought them together.
He contemplated different ways to approach her, rehearsing his introduction in his mind. But as he mustered up the courage to confidently greet her, something unexpected happened. A gust of wind tugged at the woman’s hat, causing it to fly off her head and land a few yards away. Startled, she quickly gathered her belongings and hurriedly left the park, never noticing Alexander’s presence.
Filled with regret, Alexander watched as she disappeared into the distance. He berated himself for not seizing the opportunity to strike up a conversation, realizing that he might never see her again. From that moment on, he vowed to improve his confidence and embrace future chances to connect with others.
Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, but the memory of that missed encounter lingered in Alexander’s mind. Determined to overcome his fear of initiating conversations, he started attending social events and engaged in various hobbies that would expose him to new people.
Along the way, Alexander met incredible individuals who helped him grow and discover his true potential. He learned that confidence wasn’t just about a single moment but rather a lifelong journey of self-development. His newfound belief in himself radiated, attracting people who appreciated his genuine nature.
One evening, while attending a local charity event, Alexander spotted a familiar smile in the crowd. It was the woman from the park, the one he had longed to speak to all those months ago. This time, he didn’t hesitate. With his heart pounding, he approached her with a warm greeting.
To his astonishment, the woman remembered their brief encounter in the park. They laughed and shared stories, realizing how interconnected their lives had become. As their friendship blossomed into something more, Alexander knew that even though he missed the initial opportunity, it was a testament to his growth and resilience.
From that day forward, Alexander embraced every chance he had to confidently connect with others, understanding that missed opportunities were merely reminders to seize the present moment. And as he embarked on this new chapter of his life, he carried with him the valuable lesson that sometimes, even in missed encounters, true connections can still find their way back to us.
Some thoughts:
I don’t know how the AI chose the name of the lead character. I tried generating another response using the same prompt, and it did generate the same response.
The story also feels like a Christmas romance movie. However, I would be creeped out if I were the woman in the story and had a stranger approach me and strike random conversations while I am reading a book. 🙄
I tried tweaking the prompt by removing the words “if only” such that it’s now stated this way: “tell me a story about a man who would have talked to a woman, when the opportunity for him to confidently greet her happened but did not.”
Here’s what the AI wrote:
Once upon a time, in a small seaside town, there lived a man named Benjamin. He was a kind-hearted soul who always wore a smile, but there was one thing that held him back—his fear of rejection. Benjamin had always admired a woman named Emily from afar, captivated by her grace and warmth. He yearned to strike up a conversation with her, yet the right opportunity seemed elusive.
One day, as Benjamin was walking along the beach, he noticed Emily sitting on a bench, gazing out at the waves crashing onto the shore. This was the perfect chance he had been waiting for—a moment when he could confidently greet her and perhaps build a connection. However, just as he was about to approach her, a sudden gust of wind swept through, toppling over a nearby signpost. Startled, Benjamin rushed to help, his focus diverted from his original intention.
As Benjamin struggled to upright the signpost, his heart sank as he watched Emily pack her belongings and walk away, unaware of his presence. He felt a mix of disappointment and regret, lamenting the missed opportunity to get to know her. But little did he know that life had its ways of bringing people together.
Days turned into weeks, and one fateful evening at a local community gathering, Benjamin found himself face-to-face with Emily once again. This time, however, he was without hesitation. In an act of serendipity, a mutual friend introduced them, and they discovered shared interests and passions that sparked an instant connection.
As they spent more time together, Benjamin opened up to Emily about that missed opportunity on the beach. To his surprise, Emily revealed that she too had noticed him trying to help with the fallen signpost, and she had wished he would come over and talk to her. It turned out that their paths had crossed even before they officially met.
United by their shared sense of destiny, Benjamin and Emily embarked on a beautiful journey of love and companionship. They supported each other through life’s challenges, encouraging one another to embrace new experiences and conquer their fears.
Looking back, Benjamin realized that although he missed that initial chance to greet Emily confidently, it was part of their unique story. It was a reminder to never underestimate the hidden power of fate and to trust that true connections would find a way, even if the perfect opportunity slipped through their fingers.
Together, Benjamin and Emily built a life filled with love, understanding, and the belief that missed chances are not always lost forever. And as they walked along the beach, hand in hand, they smiled, knowing that sometimes, the most beautiful stories arise from moments that never quite happened as expected.
Some thoughts:
What I noticed at first was the story flow. The man always misses the opportunity of talking to a particular woman because of the “gust of wind’ keeping them from getting together, but he gets to see her again at a “local community gathering” and finally gets the chance to talk to her.
Both elements were present in the first iteration of the prompt response.
However, this time, the response did not create a creepy version of the man anymore because Benjamin (I don’t know how the AI came up with the name) seems to already know Emily since they both live in a small seaside town.
What I noticed next is how the AI provided a setting before telling the story, where both prompt responses started with a “Once upon a time” followed by a location.
I like the second version better because it’s more realistic than the first (except for the gust of wind toppling over a signpost, of all occasions 😅). How about you?
jessa 