
I love it when I discover mismatches in how someone perceives themselves and how I see them. Like when the person I consider long-winded starts a comment with, "I usually keep my comments brief, but today. . ." This makes me smile.
I went to my first in-person group activity last weekend and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Catching up with people I would normally see once a year, meeting new persons by the beer keg, and trying to remember how to act in public. I just finished a book, "Face To Face" by Brian Glazer, and he focuses a lot of energy on eye contact. With this in mind, I focus my energy on maintaining eye contact with a woman I've just met. At one point, she takes a step back, reaches up, touches her eyebrow, and says, "Is there something on my face?"
A mismatch.
I tell this to a friend, we laugh, and he shares a story about his brother.
His brother's family is at a church service and the son is acting up as little boys sometimes do. He toakes his son to the vestibule and starts in on the boy, but he notices the boy is unusually attentive. He goes deeper with his son, explaining courtesy, reverence, and the meaning of community. His son is rapt, staring right into his eyes, and taking in every word.
With his son calm, and the message delivered, the dad turns the conversation over to his son.
"Son, tell me what you think about what you've heard" he said.
"Dad," he says, "what are tongues for?"
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