As of late, a fairly frequent topic of conversation in and amongst our lovely English contingent here in Detroit has been the fact that so few Americans, especially we Generation Y'ers, seem to be capable of holding - let alone drumming up - a conversation with strangers.
Case in point: I cannot tell you how many times my born and bred English husband has rocked up as my better half to a social gathering here and there and has gone the entire evening without being engaged by a single person. He having to forever be the engager.
As the lone dual citizen in our group of beautiful accents (i.e the lone American) and therefore someone who overly feels the need to wave my American flag, I tried with jubilant zeal to defend my American brethren. However, I fear that my arsenal of rebuttals were weak to say the least. The most I could muster, which I admit was rather pathetic, was: "but you see we don't grow up having drinks parties and the sort. We are never taught how to mingle and converse with others outside our immediate family and friend group. We do potlucks and BBQ's, not mingle socials over some bubbly (although I motion that we should!)..." To which I was given no sympathy what so ever, and I must say I had none left to give even myself.
Instead I have to agree with them. Why do we American Generation Y'ers seem to have such a hard time engaging in meaningful (or heck, I would even settle for non-meaningful at this point) conversation with a stranger? Why do we go to parties and only stay handcuffed by some invisible tie to our comfort zone? Why don't we care enough about a total stranger to engage them, ask them questions, LEARN from them....? I think the English may have a point on this one.
I for one want to be the type of person I want to meet.
And that begins by me looking outside myself for the beauty this world has to offer me, whether they come in packages of comfort and ease or ones of barrier breaking and stepping out into the big bad (but STUNNING!) unknown.
So go get 'em.
BE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU WANT TO MEET.
Be intentional in all that you do.
I promise, its worth it.
And dressing like this on top of it will always bring you extra credit from your fashion headmaster, me ;)
No comments:
Post a Comment