December 18, 2009

Advice: Give and Take

As we waited in the Airport terminal for our flight back to Harbin, M'Lynn struck up several conversations with fellow passengers. Well really they struck up the conversation with M'Lynn because of Corbin.

First conversation begins with admiration for the baby (who was dressed warmly enough to be inside the heated terminal. He was even wearing a hoodie!) and then proceeded with the obvious next question.

Passenger 1: "How old is your baby?"
M'Lynn: "He's two weeks old.
Passenger 1: (sucking air through her teeth) "Put his hat on!"

It was a nice turn to have the second conversation with Passenger 2.

Passenger 2: "Where are you going?"
M'Lynn: "We live in Harbin. My husband is an English teacher."
Passenger 2: "I am going to Harbin for business. Do you think I have enough clothes on?"
M'Lynn: "No, you'll probably be a little cold."

I love that this time advice was both given and received. We are often on the receiving end of advice especially when it comes to our children and their clothes (or lack of clothes and hats). Advice giving is a way to show you care about another person. It was refreshing to be able to return the favor and offer some advice to another (since we were the Harbin insiders). So we should gladly receive advice given to us, but that remains difficult at times and requires much grace.

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