“What are your interests?”
That is a perfectly acceptable question, and yet it makes me
feel as though I’m sitting under the spotlight of judgment when someone asks
me, “what are your interests?”. I clam up inside, but outwardly I giggle and
say “I don’t know.., lots of things!” Oh, yes, it’s cute and charming, but it
doesn’t feel very authentic. Of course I
know what I’m interested in! And the
truth is, I do have a lot of
interests. So I panic at the question because I feel that the inquisitor will
form opinions of me based on my answers. I could say that I like to sew or I
like tennis and then the inquisitor would think that I am totally into those
things, but I’m not. I could be just as dis-interested
in them as I am interested in them. You see, my interest is dependent on
something else.
I suppose I could sum up all of my interests by saying that
I am most interested in quality of living issues. Beyond the basics of living,
I am most passionate about those elements that serve to meet the higher needs of
the human experience.
Spirituality, mental health, intellectual stimulation,
personal awareness, peace, simplicity, discovery, creativity, growth… these
things fuel my energy and maintain my desire to live!
What form to these things take? This is the crux of the
question, I am sure. OK, so I like to walk on the beach and I like to explore
the forests. I like to be barefoot and I like to wear jeans. I like to read and
write. I enjoy good conversation and good food. Relationships are important to
me, and so is humor.
I like to watch movies and I like to swim and hike. I like
live theater and live music performances and I enjoy going to art museums and
historical places. I like to drive in the country and I like to lie in the
grass and watch the clouds move by.
People fascinate me and I love to hear their stories, but
when I come across someone who bores me, age has given me the freedom to walk
away. Animals make me happy and I value my relationships with them as I do my
human relationships.
I like to travel because it changes me, and yes, I like
change.
Actually, there is not much that doesn’t interest me, so perhaps that is also why the question
stumps me so.
I think the question should really be: what are your values?
Family, honor, respect;
Authenticity, honesty,
individuality; creativity, growth, learning and discovery;
Objectivity, evaluation, and
analysis
So yeah, I have a lot of interests, but I find that the
activities of my interests must fit the values or they will not hold my
interest for very long at all.
What are your interests?
When you answer that question, you must know that I will be
wondering, how do those things contribute to the quality of your life?
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