A crowd of people, my companions on the Clean Summer School, enjoying working together in the garden (click photo to enlarge) The mixture of flowers in the foreground is rather like a good conversation isn't it?
A lively mixture of ideas, feelings and plans all mixed together, cheery, enlivening. Whether it is with interesting new people or trusted friends and colleagues it is important to get together and really talk about the important things in life. Personal issues? Issues of the day and the times we live in? Work? Business? Stories and memories? Different perspectives? Comparing notes? Humour? Enjoying each other's personalities and company? Any, and all, of the above.
We all know that, don't we? In an ideal society or world that would be easy to find for all of us. But I know people who are so focused on work and or family and on dealing with immediate issues and challenges that gathering with interesting people is too much of a rarety. Meetings and focus groups with specific tight agendas perhaps, but what about learning, sharing and focusing on each other as human beings?
Mental note to self:
Make sure I put myself in such situations often.
In 'Conversation, How talk Can Change Your Life' (see my bookshelf on the right) Theodore Zeldin writes: 'We can never be sure when words will dance with each other, opinions caress, imaginations undress, topics open. But we can become more agile if we wish.' a provocative reminder of the magic that is possible in conversation. My 'thought for the day' is about the precious alchemy of larger groups. It's special when larger groups of people get together, especially when it's a real variety of ages and backgrounds, a glorious mixture as wonderful as the colours in this flower border.
Comments