Conversations

There is so much that one conversation can change. We have them every day, and most of the words we exchange are polite, short, and temporary. But sometimes the words someone says sticks with you. I've made it my mission over the past few weeks to really think about the words I am using and leaving with others. It's amazing how much you realize you are talking about nonsense when you really observe your conversations.

For example, today I went over to a woman's apartment with a friend to help her around the house since she is battling breast cancer. We were simply chopping carrots for her when she brought up preschool children and how much Mr. Roger's taught them. Somehow it transitioned into a book I had read called "Last Child in the Woods". She was so interested, she wrote down the name of the book and the author. I didn't intend to leave any words of wisdom or thoughts to ponder when I was just there for a few hours, but who knows what new perspective that book will bring to her. It has brought me plenty. She told me about beets and how good they are for your body, and I will never look at them the same.

Then I went to the grocery store. (And I bought a beet from the salad bar.) The checkout guy told me about how he shops for therapy and probably has more clothes than me. I told him I really try to donate something every time I get something new. He said he recently donated stuff but still had tons. I could tell he felt bad about it, and I just sympathized and told him I know how he felt. He made me want to go through my things and purge.

Walking into my complex, the mailman was delivering letters. I grabbed my mail and asked him how long he had been working for the post office. He told me 32 years and that much had changed since then. He said that he works 6 days a week, 10 hours a day but that he gets paid overtime so it made it worth it. I told him I didn't realize they worked that much and that I appreciated what he did. He said he started the job because as a kid he loved to get mail, that there was nothing in the world like getting a letter in the mail. I walked off thinking I needed to mail letters to friends more often.

See what I mean? I really don't know why certain words stay with you and others don't, but I have learned to choose my words carefully and encourage and leave whoever it is with a thought to ponder or a kind word. For if we can't leave anyone something tangible, at least we can leave them with a smile.