Count Your Blessings #29 – Listening in to Other’s Conversations

I’m writing today while sat on a train from Preston to London. Opposite me is a young business man who has been talking to and ‘motivating’ his employees most of the way. Next to me is a group of three pensioner men who are on there way to a union reunion (I think); sat with them is an older lady on her way to meet family.

Each of the conversations that is going on is intriguing.

The young business man apparently sacked a lady yesterday who had only been with him for 6 days. It turns out that she thought that his business was in a right mess, as it has grown 70% in the last year he couldn’t quite see how. His self confident thrusting would please many a motivational speaker. The flash suit and the striped shirt just go to finish off the stereotype.

The three pensioner men have obviously known each other for a very long time. They are typical working-class (and proud of it) northern men. They are loving the time of reminiscing. I have heard stories from their youth about gambling on horses and winning a fortune of £41. I have heard how they believe that the government has short changing them on their pension. I have heard how terrible the England football team was at the weekend and how it could never compare to the good old days – Nobby Styles, Bobby Moore. “The pies at the football these days are very expensive – £1.40, terrible”. I have heard the stories of their grandchildren. I particularly liked the one about the granddaughter who’s reply when here Dad said to her “My Dad would have never stood for this” was “Your Dad was a much better Dad than you are”. I have heard their worries about the future especially in light of the recent earthquake in Pakistan. I have even heard how they feel isolated within the society – “they never ask us do they”. That all stimulates the lady to join in, it’s obviously struck a cord. It turns out that she has retired to the Lake District. “I was on holiday in the Lake District and saw this house, when I got home I applied for early retirement and left”.

It may be a terrible thing to be an eaves-dropper, but it’s fascinating. By sitting here on my computer and just listening-in these people are all talking in a completely different way than they would be if they knew I was listening. Their conversations are revealing something about themselves that wouldn’t be revealed if I interviewed them for weeks.

It’s a blessing to me to get a glimpse of other people’s life. It’s very stimulating to realise that other’s lives are completely different to mine. The diversity of God’s creation, just in us humans is infinite. Different views, different attitudes, different bodies,  different, diverse, immense, precious.