The Value of People

Over the past few months, I've really started looking at people differently.  Understanding who they are, what they represent (or what makes them different or unique in some way), and what their talents or skills are.  Often times just listening to their history or what makes them 'them' can be such a great experience.  I believe that there are many people that for whatever reason (culture, the way they were raised, etc), tend to disregard special skills or talents that people have.  I've certainly felt this way at times in my life (on both sides of the coin), but I've had some many good experiences recently that have woken me up to the importance of listening and trying to understand.  It's really helped me understand how wonderful that people really are.  I've also learned that if you pay attention to people, they can provide insights and value that you may never have considered before.  This morning, for example, I was walking our new puppy (trying to train him actually) and ran across a neighbor that lives 5 homes down our street.  I had never met this person, and in fact, had barely even seen him (probably due to my frequent business travels).  Turns out that he knew the breed of dog that I have, and chatted for a bit about common interests and his history with hunting, even offering a few tips for me on how to care for the dog.  I just made a friend, and learned a few things in the process.  About a month ago, I was traveling on business, and sat next to a person that shared similar interests with me.  He had children, enjoyed golfing and skiing, and loved to travel.  As we became acquainted, he introduced me to his girlfriend who was also traveling with him, and we had a great conversation (about many things) on the flight.  A few weeks ago, while doing some work in his home town, I called him up and we had a wonderful dinner and evening touring the city.  I learned a few things about his business that could add value (and longevity) to my life.  A third example...a few weeks ago, a good friend of mine invited me to go to dinner with business associates that were trying to break into the Retail Technology sector (offering different product than what my company provides).  As we discussed our experience and formed friendships, we realized that there was a great business opportunity for both of us.  Since then, we've met a number of times and will probably do business together.  Not only did I make great friends through these experiences, but I found that there is substantial enjoyment in meeting and understanding people, and their history, talents, and knowledge, than I could have imagined.  It's actually added joy to my life.  My hope is that we can always take time to look for the value in other people.  If we do, I believe that our lives will be enriched and we will be better off for it.  :)