June 14, 2006I’d Love to Hike Together if You’re Okay With Focusing on What I Want to Talk About Today
I had some issues in my heart and on my mind and I wanted to follow them to conclusion. I planned to sort my thoughts out on a hike, so I was hesitant when my husband Bob asked if I wanted to hike together. I would enjoy talking my thoughts out with him, but was concerned that he would turn the topic around to himself instead of staying with what I needed to discuss. In the past he has ignored what I thought was obvious indications of my need to focus on what I was working on. The fact is, however (and he’d be the first to admit this) that Bob responds well to clarity and not at all well to hints.
So I told him,
I’ve got some things on my mind and I would love to hike together if you’re okay focusing on me and what I want to talk about this trip.
He asked a few clarifying questions about what that meant, and we had a delightful hike that met my need and created closeness for us.
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