So, there I was, sitting on a flight from Salt Lake to Detroit. A gentleman next to me started a conversation about flights, family, and other things that eventually turned to the topic of religion. Turns out, the man was originally from Salt Lake; he was chock full of stories about his missionary parents, his family history, etc. but told me; as he took as sip from his gin & tonic, that he was a firm unbeliever in the church.
I'm not a hostile type of person, whether in discussion or good-old-fashioned arguments; a person can learn a lot more with understanding and a listening ear. So, despite my wickedly deep-seated and voluntarily-repressed competitive streak, I just listened and interjected only when the unspoken cues permitted.
It conversation went on for a few minutes, and his points were slowly and kindly whittled away by his own sense of reasoning until he started to realize what he was doing to himself. He was kind about it, but simply said "I'm done talking now."
I helped myself to the magazine he'd offered earlier, and thought about so many other conversations and opportunities I've had to talk about the same subject. I've often wondered what has come of some of the people I've spoken with.
...and I thought of this:
Just a related thought. Humans have bred dogs for thousands of years, and there's a fantastic variety in breeds, but in the end they are all the same species. They all share the same genes, and can all-size variables aside-interbreed with one another. What does it all mean!?
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