I am sitting at Caribou doing some planning and writing. I find it very energizing sitting among other people. Now, here comes the judgment part. I am sitting near a group of retired men who have talked about so many random topics that it almost makes my head spin. They have now spent half an hour talking about blood types. My judgment was – “How could a group of people spend that long talking about blood types and its many offshoots?” I can’t imagine spending really any time talking about that with my friends. And yet, they are having a great time and connecting. So, who am I to judge their topics of conversation?
The good news is that they are meeting and connecting. Good for them! New topic surrounding me – health care, taxes, lawyers, and finances. They are certainly agile! Again, good for them! And, another interesting thing with their conversation is that they have differing opinions, but nobody has gotten too attached to their position and made the other person wrong. They are simply stating their opinion and then moving on to another topic. Newest topic is the Cleveland Clinic and how good they are for heart patients. I am not slow at typing so you can see how quickly the subject changes.
I wonder if someone listening to me in a conversation would notice the same thing. I am known for random comments and going off in different directions in a conversation. There are many connections in my brain that lead me to the new topic, but they may not be readily apparent to anyone listening. My family has told me I don’t have to declare, any more, when I’m going in a different direction because they expect it and for the most part can keep up.
This listening experience reminds me to notice when my mind gets into judgment mode. When I am judging someone else it often means that I am avoiding my own “stuff.” Today, I am avoiding creating a plan – I admit it. And, as soon as I’m done posting this blog I will get to my plan.
This awareness of the conversation around me is also a reminder for me to appreciate differences. What differences have you noticed that you are currently judging? What differences have you noticed that you appreciate?
PS The picture above is from a tractor parade that we happened upon in a small town on a random summer day. We enjoyed it, appreciated it, and all agreed that we would never see that in Chicago. Here’s the funny part. The next week I was going to a meeting in downtown Chicago and got stuck behind a tractor! Never expected that and burst out laughing.
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