June 1, 2021
I ask a lot of questions. Not only in famous people interviews but to a constantly growing self that’s endlessly trying to figure out how and why the dots were laid out as they appear. Questions. Being present with the real answers and not the assumption. Why do I find such incredible joy in starting conversations and or helping another creative person share their path? How did I get here? Have you asked yourself that? What happened in my past that put me on this path? It’s an honest question that deserves to your personal attention. How did I become an interviewer? My father! He always told me to, “Shut up.” No matter what the subject, his general rule was to be seen and not heard. I sat closest to him at the family dinner table which meant I was always the first to get backhanded. This isn’t a negative! It never stopped me from wanting to participate, to join in and to belong. I was never out to create an argument! I’m still that way today. I’ll say things to create awareness. Catching a glimpse of my father’s way of keeping things under control has taught me to include everyone in the conversation. To allow all voices to be heard. To collaborate. To be mindful when others speak when as a child I had no voice. Asking questions about your present place doesn’t deserve a shrugging of the shoulders followed by, “I don’t know.” I didn’t know as a second grader at Ponderosa School in Billings, Montana that a personal need to write at 7 years old would one day turn into fourteen podcasts that require pages of writing and preparation. Knowing why the dots were laid out is a brilliant place of being present in your awareness of self. Enjoy the journey of discovery.