The best gift you can give to someone ANY time of year,

[BanzaiBonnie]

is to listen to their story. Pass it on.

[BanzaiBonnie]

1. Last night, I sat down with a young man

who had obviously been drinking. Rather than sit and make small talk, we really engaged. I had to move aside from my feelings of judgement on talking with someone in that state, but I ended up asking him what drinking is doing for him.


He wasn't angry but it brought up some truths that he shared with me. He also got a bit teary eyed.

[OneGrassRoot]

2. This is a great reminder...you're so right.

Thank you. :hug:

[MorningGlow]

3. I was just thinking about this today

I helped out at my son's school for a little while this morning. My job was to help the kids with their memorization of addition tables (moving away from counting on their fingers), but I couldn't resist just talking with each of them for a few minutes. They LOVE chatting about stuff going on in their lives--what they did over Thanksgiving, what happened over the weekend, who came over to play, what's going on at home.

It occurred to me that nobody ever asks these kids what's up in their lives. I don't blame the teachers--they're too rushed, have too much work to get through in a day. And although the kids talk to one another, they're still too young to have actual conversations about things going on in their lives.

And you learn so much, just letting them talk about whatever is on their mind, too.