Saturday, September 3, 2011

Everybody Has A Story

I'm not very good at striking up a conversation. Downtown Dad on the other hand, well, he'll talk to anybody! Seriously, he's never met a stranger. I guess I should be thankful, after all, he struck up a conversation with me, and up to that point he'd probably never met anyone stranger than me!


I kid, I kid... sort of.
My point is, I want to have great conversations, but I tend to be pretty focused and driven, and sometimes I just forget to exchange even the barest pleasantries with those I come in contact with. I need to be less about getting things accomplished, and more about paying attention along the way. I should know better too, because I've always believed that everybody has a story, you just have to take the time to listen for it.


That's likely why I started blogging. Being in real estate, trapped in a car with perfect strangers was a great way to find those stories. For example, back in 2005, I met one couple so hilarious I had to write about them, and to this day, that's probably my favorite story! 


My goal (for this month anyway) is to slow down and connect more. Yesterday, I wrote and mailed a postcard to some friends who are not on Facebook and don't have email. Today, I am going to make an effort to talk to someone long enough to find their story.  You never know who you’re talking to or what they’re going to tell you. You just have to listen.    

1 comment:

Still Called Downtown Dad said...

This is interesting!! And very likeable!!! Too bad you didn't meet Benjamin Button before his writer did!