I am mostly a listener in the communities in which I participate, especially at the beginning of a relationship. I believe I am a good observer of social relationships. I enjoy participating in various social groups.
When I was 16, I spent about 5 hours walking around the streets with a boy, collecting paper from the garbage and talking to him the whole time. We walked together for about 10 kilometers until we arrived at the scrapyard. This brief encounter had a profound effect on my outlook on life.
We used to go camping in a village with a group of my friends. We stayed for a while to assist the villagers with their tasks. They were mostly elderly people who couldn’t care for themselves. These individuals taught me a lot. There is a lot more silence, and you have time to think. We were not interested in the city’s conveniences or distractions. Perhaps it was because we were only there for a short time. I imagine this way of life would be exhausting in the long run.
I spent a month in Houston in 2022 working for a company that prints text on t-shirts. I was a member of this team when they relocated to Washington. Because we were all working and living in the same place, my work and journeys with this group of 6-7 people were a one-of-a-kind social group experience.
To be involved in the lives of various social groups, I believe that one must first be neutral and quiet, then become more active and a little brazen.