Helping to administer a 245-person book club has meant--well--everything to me over the last few months. And one thing has become incredibly apparent--people are willing to talk if you let them know you are willing to listen.
Simply by tying my name to this book club, I have let people know that I want to listen to them, that I'm open to listening to them.
I do not have answers for everyone. Hell, I'm not a counselor. I'm not a researcher.
But, I AM a listener.
In just two weeks since the Kickoff of our Spring Lake Community Book Club of Emily Bazelon's Sticks and Stones, I have had conversations at the grocery store, at the school, at my daughters' playing fields. But these conversations aren't always with people I know. Over Facebook and email and Twitter, the conversation has extended to people of all ages in all parts of the community with people I know and with people I don't.
And I keep thinking, the conversation has only just begun.
And all I did was listen. So, please listen with me--even if it's the only thing we can do.
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