We turned down my street, pulling into a spot that was probably 100 feet from my house. There weren't any open spots in front of my house, a result of living in a townhome with no driveway and scant street parking available. It was a quiet Sunday evening: birds chirping in the trees, a girl jogging by on the sidewalk, a man walking his dog and not paying attention because he was distracted by being on his phone. I was offered a ride home, which I gladly accepted, after my church's potluck that evening. Whenever I was offered a ride from a friend, I almost always tried to accept. Not because I wanted a brief free mode of transportation, but because I've come to learn to accept help. It's good to be humbled.
My friend sat in the driver's seat and me in the passenger. As our conversation slowly carried on, I placed my hand on the gear shift, putting the vehicle into "park." I could tell this conversation wasn't going to end any time soon. My friend said, "Oh, thank you," and took his foot off the brake pedal. Our conversation surrounded the topic of life, next steps, and what to do when it seems like you don't have direction. It also surrounded a particular topic that I often find myself thinking about: guy-girl relationships, specifically in the Christian community. My friend started telling me things that I hadn't ever let settle in my brain before. He gave me great insight into the male perspective on dating in Christian circles. It was enlightening to hear the thought process of guys.
I was especially intrigued by what my friend said about the fact that girls can be very scary to guys. It hadn't ever really occurred to me that guys can be intimidated by a girl that they are attracted to. Now, this sounds kind of stupid. I mean, shouldn't it be obvious that guys can be intimated by a pretty girl? I guess so. And in that quiet conversation on my quiet street on that quiet Sunday evening, I suddenly realized that I had been too hard and judgmental on guys. Sometimes the conversations that you learn the most from are the ones that are unexpected, unplanned, and just happen.
It got a little darker and the shadows of the trees began to stretch. The sunlight grew dim, giving everything it touched a slight golden hue. I had to get ready for work the next day and my friend needed to drive across town back to his apartment. I looked him square in the eyes, said "Thank you so much for this conversation. You've given me a lot to think about," and then opened the door. He replied, "Me too." I climbed out of the car and smiled as I waved goodbye, and then walked up to my house. I slowly climbed the stairs, feeling awkwardly heavy with much on my mind. I was thankful for the conversation. Why? Because sometimes the best conversations are the ones that are unexpected, unplanned, and just happen.
