One thing that no one will ever say about me is, "she sure is a wallflower who never speaks to anyone." Talking is one of my forte's. We have a long history together...the only time it has ever gotten me into trouble was at school. I wasn't a bad kid. I was actually one of the those teacher pleasing children (probably because my dad was an educator). The one and only thing to ever land me on the "wall" for 5 minutes during recess was my motor mouth. Honestly, it happened quite frequently...LOL.
My talking skills have made it easy for me to give speeches, teach, and most importantly meet new people. Ask anyone...give me 5 minutes and you'll more than likely know my entire life story! Some people may view this as a character flaw, but I see it like this: I never meet a stranger. Oh, I don't really tell everyone everything about me. I will talk to anyone though. Whether it be about religion, the weather, the state of public schools, or the newest movie I just saw I will freely engage in conversation with someone.
My talking skill has been a definite plus as I have dealt with the public for the past 6 1/2 years of running my business. I truly hope that anyone who walks through my front doors leaves feeling as if they made a new friend. I do my best to remember names and what our discussions are about. Not to ensure a return customer or a bigger sale the next time...I simply want people to know that they matter.
This twirling dirt clod we inhabit moves at such a great pace that we leave little time to actually get to know anyone. We are in such a hurry all the time and most people have their phones surgically attached to their bodies to ensure they stay in touch with email, itunes, facebook, and texting. What ever happened to sitting on the front porch with a glass of tea and talking the afternoon away? Maybe it's the Southerner in me (well, Mason Dixon Line for all technical purposes), but that is my idea of a great afternoon!
I wish that I could somehow pass along my skills to others. If we would all take the time to actually talk to each other a lot of issues would cease to exist in my opinion. How awesome would it be to sit across the table from your family and engage in conversation during a meal or take a long walk on a Friday night instead of rushing from work, to dinner, and to a movie where you sit next to someone for 2 hours and never utter a word. What if we unplugged our phones, turned off our cells, pressed the OFF button on our computers, and refrained from texting and actually, wait for it...talked with people face to face. Liberating idea isn't it!?!?
One day, I hope the world catches up with my way of thinking. I truly appreciate technology and living the American Dream, but not when they are to the detriment of mankind. We need to stop the rat race, talk to each other, and share our lives. I think we could all be happier individuals if we did :)
God Bless,
Tammy
Some people - like you - are talkers who enjoy face to face interaction.
ReplyDeleteOthers - like me - loathe talking to people and face to face interaction. Heck, I don't even like talking on the phone. I could easily live in solitary for an extended time. I have a lot of difficulty in social situations. Everyone I meet is a stranger and I'm definitely NOT inclined to talk to them. When people try to strike up a conversation in an elevator, most of the time I just stare at them perplexed.
So, wanting others to be more talkative and to interact more in person is seemingly impossible for some. Thankfully my job has very limited public interaction and I can remain comfortably behind the computer screen.