Tag Archives: conversations

Food for the MIND

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A real conversation. A rarity these days it seems. The disappearing art of conversation on the Dart as mobile phones take control

Yesterday I had the best half hour of conversation for a long time.  My journey into town on on the dart (our super little train) set the positive tone for my day. As I sat down, Kryptonite lock in hand, the gentleman seated opposite remarked on my lock and so begin the most fantastic exchange. We spoke of life, of politics, of travel, the current housing crisis, food waste, ecological issues, of education, human rights. It was a breakfast for the mind. Real Mindfood. As people lose themselves in the faceless, impersonal world of social media, reading the latest book on some device or another, catch up with ‘life’, or rather other peoples lives through the brilliantly created apps that are geared to portray snapshots and snippets of a world beyond our reach, here on the train I was enjoying HUMAN CONTACT, dialogue of the highest order. Funny, intelligent, engaging real life topical conversation with a perfect stranger. Only as I was getting off the train and the doors closed behind me, did I join the dots.  Tom was homeless. Tom gave me something priceless.  He gave me much more than mere words. From the bottom of my heart, I thank him. He gave me more than he will ever know.

(Tom is not his real name)

Today I met a Firefighter

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At full tide down at the 40′, you never know who you’ll get into conversation with.  I’m there, we’re chatting about the pull of the tide and the next thing, whilst we’re maintaining strict eye level contact as we discreetly peel off our wet togs and get dressed, I’m chatting to one of the nicest guys I’ve met for a long time.  Stephen O’Reilly.  Firefighter.  Instantly I like him.  Firefighters have to be good people and you know instantly when you meet someone if this is someone you want to chat with, or politely disengage!   The 40′ attracts a very correct crowd of people, in case you are wondering.

A Quick Dip in the Irish Sea by Heather McKay

A Quick Dip in the Irish Sea by Heather McKay

Now don’t misunderstand me, this post is not about attraction in that sense of the word, it’s about social dynamics.  Stephen is so enthusiastic about what he does in addition to his job as a firefighter, I find the more he talks, the more I want to hear. Anyhow, the conversation flows easily and he asks what I do, WORDS,  I say, well it’s much more than words – it’s about how we use them. It’s about who you are. Now we’re flying and I get to find out so much more about what drives Stephen and now I understand why he drives across the city to dive into the sea and make the most of one of our most wonderful natural resources.   Check out grown.ie. It’s a cool company, who stand by their ethics. I love the clarity of their brand ‘messaging’ and yes, Stephen is a great brand ambassador. The point of all this?  Life is one big conversation and I just love it.

 

 

it just feels right

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The more I work with people whose first language is not English, the more I feel what I’m doing has a real value and the more I have to learn!

Our last workshop brought together an amazing group of people. From Syria, Poland, Korea, Spain, Italy, Venezuela and China. They arrived as strangers and left having shared their experiences, their learning, acquired new skills and as importantly, the confidence to use those skills even more.  It made me remember how difficult it was to live in another country and have to learn how to be yourself again through another language. It made me see again how all the skill in the world is worth nothing without the confidence to communicate well and use your skills effectively.

Being able to express yourself in normal every day situations enables you to be who you are. To contribute. To engage. To LIVE a fuller life.

Feeling their frustration, their impatience and seeing their desire to learn to achieve this is what fuels my need to help.  The urgency that I sense in people who have held responsible, senior positions in their own country having to do jobs, which yes, they may, just may enjoy but are well below their capabilities is palpable. As a country, as a ‘people’, as human beings we must do more.  After all, were not the Irish amongst the earlier travellers to settle in different parts of this world?

“Everything we’ve ever done and all we’re meant to do comes together in harmony with who we are. When that happens, we feel the truest expressions of ourselves.”

Have that cup of coffee with someone in your company, in your social circle who you don’t know, listen to their story.  making more time for a coffee?There is always something you can do to make them more welcome and feel at home, so maybe, they, like me, when asked that all important question “where
are you from”, they, like me can say with real warmth and a smile say “from Dublin”.  Then the conversation really begins…

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