This is a continuation of Daniel’s and my story. Click on the “Our Story” tag for context.
Daniel got back to me after a day or so, and we arranged another telephone conversation.
This time I was determined to listen more than talk.
And, for once, I did.
I asked Daniel to tell me about his trip (letting him know that I also wanted to hear what he ate :-P) and then listened as he recounted his story in detail.
I would later describe the conversation to my friends with wonder:
So you know how I tell about my weekend? My story goes something like, “Uh, well, we had a firepit at my parent’s house and I took some pictures of the Little Miss. Other than that, I pretty much didn’t do anything exciting. I suppose, um, oh yeah, there was this AWFUL fog on the way home from Lincoln and it took me twice as long to get home because I couldn’t see. Oh–I forgot to mention that I talked to my boss on Friday and he said…” That’s not the way Daniel’s story was at all.
His was very linear, very minute. He described each event in great detail, including exactly where he was at and even which ingredients he used in his omelets.
But it wasn’t a dry recitation of “And then I went here and did that.”
This wasn’t just a recital of facts. He wasn’t just telling me where he’d gone, what he’d done, what he’d ate.
He was telling me what he was thinking, what he was feeling. He was telling me about his fears, about his anxieties, about what excites him.
He was sharing his heart with me.
Yes, I’d liked Daniel before that conversation. I’d enjoyed corresponding with him, conversing with him. I’d experienced the union of our two minds. I’d appreciated the way he thought about issues.
But this was different. My attraction to him grew with every detail. I was amazed at how different this man was than I, how detailed his mind could be. I was impressed with his love for the Lord, his desire to be obedient to God. I was humbled by his honesty about his fears and worries.
And then he described how he’d driven out of the mountains a bit to where he could get cell phone reception to call his mother, how he’d read my Facebook message. He described how my message had made him excited and nervous, how he’d thought “Wow, she sounds interested.”
Hearing that, I realized that I was. I was very interested.
I might even be beyond interested.
I might be in love with this man whose heart I’d just heard.
:D Catching up with the story. (Scrolling down so I can scroll up.)
This particular part is very interesting. It’s very hard sometimes to learn to be quiet and listen. Esp. in a world where we are striving to make more noise to be heard above the noise. This is a good reminder with many relationships – especial with the Lord.
The mark of an interesting person, in my mind is, is that they are a good story teller. I LOVE people who tell “mundane” stories in an excited and exciting way. Good man there. Good man!