Today we begin framing walls with metal studs - lighter, cheaper, stronger, more flexible. We also have no idea what we're doing - luckily, it seems easy enough. I am also acquiring new tools daily. Tin snips yesterday.
Every so often I will meet someone who is especially interested in a school bus conversion. The man at the building supply yesterday afternoon added to the list of excited supporters, for whatever personal reasons they have. I allowed the suspense to build, just knowing he was going to spill it - how he had converted his own back in the day - I allowed for him to choose the timing of the news - but he never did! I'm certain this man has either lived or camped in a bus, and was eager to hear his stories.
We learn sometimes to quiet down and give others space, and then we also learn to speak up and encourage others - to show them we are listening and interested. I wish I had shown more interest in encouraging his obvious experience - but you know what? He urged us to give him a call if we had questions putting in the studs. Heck, I have questions about the tin snips. . .
I've just been thinking in my encounters this weekend that a big part of developing relationships is listening. If we can only keep ourselves quiet long enough for someone to share their stories. People need to be heard. :)
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