In 2010, self-taught photographer Brandon Stanton began a project that would explore the personalities of more than 5,000 people. His original plan was to photograph New Yorkers and then document each photo's location on a map. But, as Brandon’s curiosity about the personalities behind his portraits grew, that plan quickly changed. He began to ask questions about their lives and interests. Almost accidentally, he found his photo blog filled with their stories. The blog took off quickly, captivating more than 8 million followers and leading to a book on the New York Times' Best Seller list. He called the collection of work "Humans of New York."

The blog is a beautiful illustration of the various perspectives people have on life. I see it as a sort of celebration of individuality. We're all different. We have different opinions, display different appearances, hold different faiths and make difference choices for ourselves. What is right, what is wrong and what is "truth" depends on who you ask. All I do know for sure is that every person you meet has a lesson to teach you if you’re willing to hear it. Humans of New York allows us to explore this idea, giving us a glimpse into the lives of thousands of people from all over the world.

Here are just a few of my favorite entries:

1. “We met three years ago in Grand Central Station..."

“We met three years ago in Grand Central Station. I got stuck working late so I missed my train and was in a terrible mood. I went to get some food at the bar, and the only stool open was next to him. I asked if anyone was sitting there, and he told me ‘no,’ and helped me take off my coat. A few minutes later, his son came back from a cigarette break, and I was in his seat. All of us spent the next two hours talking. When I left, his son chased me down, handed me his business card, and said: ‘I think my dad really likes you. If you think you might like him too, please send me an email.’”

2. "I got arrested in 2009..."

“I got arrested in 2009 for protesting army recruitment. Then I got arrested in 2011 for protesting foreclosures after Hurricane Sandy. And I’m about to get arrested again, because on May 14th we’re going to Albany to protest fossil fuels.”

3. "We go to the races all the time..."

"We go to the races all the time. We don’t care about the horses. But it’s the only place where you can get dressed up and drink champagne before noon."

4. "Two weeks ago I ran away to Maryland..."

“Two weeks ago I ran away to Maryland to marry someone I met on Instagram. Yesterday I ran back home.”

5. "I knew a girl in high school that always complained about having anxiety..."

“I knew a girl in high school that always complained about having anxiety. I used to make fun of her a little bit. It looked like nothing to me. So I assumed it was nothing. And I dealt with it by trying to convince her that it was nothing. I called her recently to apologize. I’ve had really bad anxiety ever since my father died. And it’s definitely not nothing. It’s the indescribable fear of nothing.”

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6. "I'm a retired school principal..."

“I’m a retired school principal. More than anything else, I wanted my students to understand just how big the world is. Because I didn’t want them judging the world by the ten block radius around their house.”

7. "Every morning I wrote down just what I wanted..."

"Every morning I wrote down just what I wanted. Then I found him on one of those dating sites. I was a little worried at first because his profile said: ‘I’m back, ladies.’ I thought that maybe he was a womanizer. But he also quoted a psalm in his profile, and it was a good psalm, so I sent him a smile emoji. We started chatting and decided to meet at the Metropolitan Museum. I walked up the stairs and there he was! Suit! Tie! Overcoat! So much better than his picture! We spent six hours at the wine bar. They had to kick us out. It will have been eight years together, this July.”

8. “My father was pretty much non-existent..."

“My father was pretty much non-existent after the age of seven. The last time I talked with him was the age of 18. I called him from my freshman dorm room at college, and I said: ‘Either be a father, or leave me alone, and stop holding me back.’ He said: ‘I can’t be that person for you.’ So I never spoke with him after that. I never reached out because I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing I’d turned out OK despite his decisions. When he died, I realized that we’d both been too proud to start a relationship. I should have swallowed my pride and been the bigger man."

9. “I think if you want to accomplish something big..."

“I think if you want to accomplish something big, you need to be a bit shaken. And we’ve gotten a bit too comfortable here. So we’re going to move to California and see what happens.”

10. "When things are good in my life, everything looks like a picture..."

“When things are good in my life, everything looks likes a picture. When things are bad in my life, nothing looks like a picture. When I met her, I was taking one hundred or two hundred photographs per day. Now she wants to go back to France, and I’m only taking one or two photographs per day.”

11. "We broke up in a Starbucks..."

“We broke up in a Starbucks. A week later, I walked by and the place had been completely bulldozed to the ground. I always thought that was the Universe doing me a favor.”

12. “I don’t enjoy observing people as much as I used to..."

"I don’t enjoy observing people as much as I used to. Everyone acts like they’re on stage. People used to come to The Village sheepishly. Nobody was sure if they belonged. We didn’t know if we were artists. These days everyone walks around like they’re contributing something. There’s no angst anymore. There’s too much certainty. And that’s a shame. Because all the best art comes from people who feel like they don’t belong. Art is a way of proving your existence."