Conversation Kit: Question #19
If you asked me this question, I’d talk about adopting my two therapy cats.
Hello, and welcome back to Conversation Kit, where I share tried-and-true questions for meaningful conversation.
Here’s this week’s question: What are some of the best decisions you’ve made in your life so far?
Why I love this prompt: You can learn about the decisions that really mattered in someone’s life, and, on the flip side, which decisions you thought mattered but didn’t end up being a big deal. For example, when I was in high school my friends and I thought it was paramount to get into the top universities, but looking back I’ve learned that you can make the most of any school you go to.
When I ask this question in my personal history interviews, people often talk about their decision to marry their spouse or to move to a certain place. But recently I interviewed my mom’s best friend Nancy, and her answer intrigued me.
What comes to mind is to be true to myself... Your mom and I have always shared the love of that saying “to thine own self be true.” And I think I’ve done that. I think I’ve, in and out of challenges in my life, been true to myself. It almost seems like it wasn’t chosen, that that’s just who I am. But I feel really grateful for that. I really respect myself. I really do... But it comes from being earned of “what do I respect?” Yeah, I respect myself and I respect the dignity of other people.
Her response took that question even broader than I intended. It inspired me to reflect on even bigger picture decisions I’ve made, like choosing to try new things with faith instead of fear or choosing to nurture the talents that emerged in my childhood.
Do your loved ones know about the best choices you’ve made? Your wisdom can illuminate the path forward as they make big decisions, and I would love to preserve that for you.
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