By JANET HART LEONARD
From the Heart
There is something about a good cup of coffee and a good conversation.
A few days ago, my city councilman, Aaron Smith, asked if I would meet him at Noble Coffee for a conversation.
Truth is, I rarely turn down an opportunity to share my thoughts over coffee. Many would say I would share my thoughts without the coffee.
Aaron shared about his wife, adopted (and oh, so cute) son, and his soon to be born daughter. Aaron shared about his growing up years, his moving to Noblesville (and loving Old Town) and his faith. I found his story fascinating.
A good conversation means leaning in and listening.
Aaron is 30, I am 65, yet we found so much common ground over coffee grounds. (Sorry about the pun.)
I asked a lot of questions. Not sure if that’s the female in me, the mother in me or the writer in me. Probably a mixture.
You see, everyone has a story. Everyone has a voice. How we share both is important. We learn from those conversations.
Conversations change us … if we are willing to listen.
The good, the bad, the hard, the hurt, the happy, the locations, the family, the friends, the schools … all of these are the ingredients that evolve us into who we are and how we think.
Values, morals, temperament, ways of communication, degree of kindness, measure of generosity, and attitude; all bake the cake of who we are.
It’s important to share our thoughts in conversations. In those conversations we can refine our thinking and redefine who we are. And … we must learn to listen.
Time, as well as conversations, has a way of changing us. I am certainly not the gal that I was when I was 25. I’m not the gal I was when I got in the car business. Heck, I’m not the gal I was pre-Covid.
My voice has changed over the years. I hope it has changed for the better. My voice has gotten softer. My voice has gotten less judgmental. My voice has gotten braver. And maybe, just maybe, it has gotten wiser.
One thing among the many things I have learned is that people listen to a quiet voice more than they listen to a screaming voice.
If you yell at me with your voice or with words on social media … I will walk silently away. I choose my conversations wisely. I definitely pick my battles.
I know a voice that is silent speaks volumes.
Back to my conversation with Aaron. I told him that I didn’t think people paid that much attention to what I have to say. He said to me, “Oh yes they do, Janet.”
I must say his words made me ponder and put a bit of fear and trepidation in me before hitting SEND on my keyboard.
As I share my thoughts each week in this column, I pray that I make a difference. I hope my voice is heard as a positive to all who read my column.
There truly is something about a good cup of coffee and a good conversation that gets you pondering. Thanks, Aaron, for sharing both.