Socially inept person:“hey mari!”
Mari:“HEY! How ya doin??”
Socially inept person:“fine”
Mari: “cool, cool. So how has school been going? What’s your major again? I’m sorry I totally forgot! Haha!”
Socially inept person:“communications”
Mari: “oh wow…I hear that’s tough! what kind of classes do you take for that?”
Socially inept person: “hospitality”
Mari: ohhh, are those classes hard or easy breezy?”
Socially inept person: eh…
Mari: “ahh..yea…what’d you do over the weekend”
Socially inept person: “nothing”
Mari: “OMIGOSH! CAN YOU HAVE A DECENT CONVERSATION OR NOT?! And in case you were wondering I’m doing great, School is really stressful, my major is psychology which I am LOVING and writing lots of essays in, I’m taking abnormal psychology for it, and I went to Yosemite over the weekend and got to see some gorgeous scenery!!!”
Have you ever been in this situation and reacted this way?!? I HAVE! Ok not really…that would be enormously rude and very socially unacceptable. My answer is more like…
Mari: “oh cool! Well I gotta run to class…great chatting with you!”
which seems to always be a legitimate awkward/uneventful/unproductive conversation ender. But I have to admit that I do walk away thinking...why oh why did you say hello to me if you insist on giving one word answers and acting as though you really do not care about a thing we talk about?
Oh or what about those people who literally ignore you when you try to tell your story? Have you met one of those?
Mari: “omigosh…I had a really tough semester last semester…I was dumped, got bad grades, was bogged down by work and just felt really insecure…sigh I’m hoping this semester will be better.”
Socially inept person: “aw man…I just realized I forgot to grab that last size 6 shoe at payless! That is my favorite store…I’m going to go get a refill.”
Ouch…ouchity ouch ouch ouch. That can’t be human…
Why do these people bug me so much? Maybe it’s because these people are just plain annoying. They just make you look stupid and don’t care about how you’re doing. Seriously people…work on your social skills! Geez!
Ok but maybe it’s because of my insecurity, proudness(is this a word?) and neediness. I work so hard to be a good friend and listener that I feel like I somehow need and deserve a perfect listener that I can talk to…what made me so deserving and above everyone else? Am I so insecure that I need confirmation from others to feel important? I should be getting my encouragement and worth from God when I really think about it. Oh and maybe my purpose and gift is in fact listening/empathizing with others and instead of getting annoyed with not being blessed with tons of good listeners around me, I should use my gift to bless others! Dang it…now I have to keep myself accountable. :P
What’s the PLUS in all this silliness? Because I have met so many inadequate/awkward listeners(sorry guys haha), I have come to truly appreciate the good listeners in my life. The ones who are always free to listen when you need it. The ones who hug you and actually literally cry with you when you’re sobbing in their arms. The ones that laugh at your jokes and encourage you when you feel like nothing. Thank God for all the socially/listeningly gifted people out there and if you’re part of that group, there are few of you and use your gift to abundantly bless those who need it.:)
one last thing...
October 2011 Halloween costume?? I think YES:)
