Piece Of My Heart: The give and take of human interaction

For most of us, our everyday lives produces one word that is slightly different every day.  That word is "Interaction". It is our basic form of communication and dealing with others that produces good or bad feelings on both an intellectual and visceral level on a daily basis. Whether it's exchanging money with a cashier, dealing with co workers, or standing in line in the supermarket, unless you are a hermit, there is no getting around some sort of interaction. We as humans can be funny creatures..We can be prickly, aloof, temperamental, and just downright rude to each other. Because of the bad seeds all around us, it is sometimes an effort for some people to be friendly, because they believe that their friendliness will lead to people perceiving them as weak, and trying to "get" something from them. Everybody knows just how exhausting it is trying to deal with people like this because they are out there, but not everyone is this way. We are all guarded in a sense, because we have been trained to look out for, and be proactive against that type of behavior, which makes the interaction sometimes jaded. People tend to get cynical and jaded because that's where the world sometimes has led us, and it is easier to hold off a piece of yourself, clutching it for all you are worth, because we think that people will steal something, or that some vulnerability of ours will cost us in the future. But in order for us to truly be able to understand and appreciate one another, that is what precisely what has to happen.

The part of my personal make up that I most proud of is my not only desire, but ability to talk to different people. I have the good fortune to know many different people on familiar levels. The people I am fortunate to know range from the head of companies to Truck drivers, from Cops, Clergy and lawyers, to Bikers, and DOT workers..All races, ethnic backgrounds, sexual orientations, and people from all political sides. I am happy to say that I have conversed with, laughed and shared jokes and stories with, debated issues with, and relayed personal thoughts with a wide array of folks, and those situations have enriched me in ways that I can't ever calculate. I try my best to treat everyone the same way, but the nuances of interactions are on their particular levels. My approach to one person doesn't work with another. Some people require a laid back approach of interaction, while yet others require a brash up front raucous approach. Each person is an individual, and unique in their own way, and by paying attention to what they say, and how they say it, makes interaction for me one of the most pleasurable things that I get out of life. There is so much to learn from so many people, that interaction is completely intertwined with growth of self. There is a true art to interaction, as it is a process no matter how brief. We make impacts and ripples everyday by how we conduct ourselves wen dealing with others. Those impacts and ripples begin with the art. What is the crux of the art? It is simple...Giving a piece of yourself, while taking a piece of others.

True interaction no matter how brief requires a meeting of spirits. Whether you just say hello to someone in line in a store, or have a meaningful conversation with a friend, you have opened up a window. Inside the window is the heart and soul of us, and the nuts and bolts of just what makes us tick. The truth of the matter is that we are all unfinished works, and someone else may have the parts that we need to add to the machinery. It is not required that you be completely vulnerable since that is reserved for the closest amongst you. Even that is a challenge since we all have walls that come into play, and surround us when we feel threatened, mistrustful, or damaged. But the little opening of the window can lead to finding the piece of yourself in others and using it, as you leave something of yourself for someone else to ponder. I am a big believer that as I talk to people during my travels, I gain knowledge from everyone. I try to listen to what their voice sounds like, I imagine what their experiences must have been like, and yes sometimes I get my wish to find these things out, as people seem to feel comfortable telling me about themselves. I cannot just be a taker, which means since they were giving me some of what they are about, I try to do the same, and create ripples. So much rides on the ability to be just a little vulnerable so that we can be emotional voyeurs to one another. the more we see behind the window, the more we begin to truly understand just how much we are alike. We begin to gain mutual respect, admiration, and acknowledgment that each individual has a unique story to tell, and that story has relevance within the context of our own lives. That is the piece that we take..The piece that we leave with someone is who we are, as a child of the universe, and as an individual, and where we stand. All of this that takes place doesn't have to be obtained from a deep conversation. The simple brief encounters can ring true in such ways that it is all figured out and exchanged in literally seconds. A smile, a "Hello how are you?" A sharing a laugh of something funny, or a brief talk about weather all can be important glimpses into someone, and an opportunity for you to understand, and be understood.

With this 21st century way of communicating with one another, the art of interaction seems to be waning, and people although connected mechanically, are disconnected emotionally and spiritually. Technology has a strange way of having an adverse effect on those who want to connect with others, because the connection has no eyes, and no soul. That is why it is so important to still converse, shake hands, smile, and see where another person stands. We need to all have pieces of each other, if we are to truly progress as understanding people of the universe. We will then be able to be the heart and souls of one another..Sounds campy and naive, but I can remember many incidents where I was not liked because of my color, or whatever reason someone had. After interaction and giving them something of myself, those ill feelings were eradicated, as it became just me. And when that happened, I was able to learn just why someone thought the way they did, and I could understand, while in the process of helping them to understand. And all of a sudden we were just people..Not symbols, or ideas..But individuals who wanted the same things out of life..that's the power of interaction. I try to do some of this every time out there, because I believe in the power of interaction, and just what positive ripple effects it can produce..
So come on..Take another little piece of my heart...And I'll take some of yours..
So many people..So much to learn, and so little time...Let's open the windows.