Do you ever feel like this?
Last night was a bit of a let down after the high spirits of a meeting with OS people. We went to a dinner-theatre, which I found to be less theatre and more horsing around, about the skeleton of a story line. We sat opposite a couple from another province “on holiday,” and struggled to make conversation. Polite: I was down because we did not get to deeper conversation. Yet it was in my heart–truly–it was a lack of courage to say forth what was necessary to have a conversation. In another such situation one thing I can do is acknowledge how awkward it is, perhaps tell a little about how I feel as a result, then invite with a deeper question. Even obliquely–“I am challenged by how awkward I feel in this setting–there is a meeting we could have or we could avoid it by having small talk. Yet there is a chance for us to really get to know one another as real people, and I would sure like to get to know you. To find out what you like to read and why, what makes you tick, what it is you live for. Do you ever feel like that?” This gives them opportunity to choose their own level of depth and whatever that is, we can meet. I like that.
:- Doug.
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