I had the most fun experience last week at the doctor's office. I realize that's an unusual thing to say, and it really had nothing to do with the doctor, but rather with some very nice people I talked to in the waiting room. As always, I had a book with me and I was prepared to read while waiting. But the lady next to me smiled and said hello, so we struck up a conversation. It's easy enough in an Ob/gyn office, you just ask the lovely young woman when her baby is due. However, this young woman was accompanied by her teenaged sister and I always enjoy talking to teenagers. So I asked her what grade she will enter this fall. She's a senior and I teach seniors, so we had an immediate connection. Poor girl, I soon found out that her AP summer reading for English is Conrad's Heart of Darkness. It's a wonderful book, but (in my humble opinion) not one to tackle on your own. So we talked about it, about the symbolism and the characters and the "meaning" of the work. It was great. I also told her about a book I assign my kids--How to Read Literature Like a Professor. It was the waiting room reading I had brought along, so she had a chance to look at it and realize what a big help it could be in her studies. We talked until I was called back to see the doctor, and when I met up with her again outside the lab, she had found the book online and the first 80 or so pages were available for free. She was already reading.
It felt so good to help someone, and she was a delightful, bright young lady. I am so thankful that I seem to have a friendly face, because people just tend to talk to me. Years ago, Heavenly Father told me very clearly that one of my gifts is being friendly and He expects me to talk to people. I just love people! I love talking to them and learning about them and I especially love helping them. It was a terrific morning, and I think I really did some good.
