After spending four months working at the Campus, I have learned a lot about how to communicate with people that I seemingly did not have much in common with. I decided to share a very valuable piece of knowledge I have learned...
Coming from such a different place from the homeless men and women that I spend time with everyday, there are many "normal" topics of conversation that do not really apply. We can't talk about what we cooked for dinner last night, or what Christmas presents we went shopping for last month, or the car troubles we have experienced this week. However, there is one topic is not only "safe", it actually has helped me develop some great connections with participants.
Football. It may seem ridiculous to say, but it's completely true. Following sports has been one of the most valuable hobbies I could choose right now. The participants gave me a hard time when I wore my Titans jersey after their first win of the season; they came up to me every Monday morning to congratulate me on another TCU victory; and I don't know how many people came to offer their condolences after the TCU loss to Boise State this past Monday in the Fiesta Bowl.
These are the moments that I look forward to when I come to work every week. As insignificant as football may be in the grand scheme of life, it means that we share in victory and loss together. Thank you, God, for football! :)
Friday, January 8, 2010
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