September 24, 2006Speaking Strong as a Houseguest
When I’m a houseguest, I appreciate the hospitality I’m shown, and I attempt make things work as they are in a desire to minimize my impact. That’s why when I noticed the new-house fumes from the carpet in my friends’ guest room, I tried opening the windows to see if that would dissipate the fumes enough for me to make it through the night without too strong a reaction.
When I opened the windows I discovered two baby bunnies that had fallen into the window well. My friends and I had quite an adventure getting them out.
I realized the fumes were too strong and I knew if I slept there I would wake up puffy-eyed and headachy, so I mentioned the problem to my friends who gladly resettled me in another room.
Rather than being offended, my friend called me later to thank me for pointing the problem out. She too is sensitive to toxins, but had stopped noticing them. By speaking up, she became aware of the impact on her and put some air filters in the area to help the out-gassing process. It was good to know that my Speaking Strong benefited her as well as me.
Next week I’ll be the houseguest of someone whose political views are the opposite of mine. Last week I spoke about political conversations in my perfect world. I want to be a great houseguest, and my hope is that will include my host and me sharing our views and learning from each other.
I know the world does not line up with the perfect world I envision, but the stronger my vision and the more I share it, the more real it becomes…at the very least, for me. If you don’t know what healthy is, it’s tough to go for it. I’m planning on having some healthy political discussions next week with someone who sees the world from a different place. I hope your week is full of healthy conversation as well.
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