It turned out that 15 ladies came, and fit nicely into the sitting room which my co-planner said was the nicest, coziest sitting room in Ireland. =) I felt sorry for the few who sat on hard surfaces, but it could hardly be helped.

I’d been asked to give ‘The Gift of Story’ talk that I gave at the Oasis Ladies’ Retreat at SMBI in Aug. I discovered that it’s much scarier to talk to women who know me than to speak to strangers. I teach the ladies’ Sunday school class; I don’t know why this talk was different and more intimidating than that is every Sunday, but it was.

However, talking to women who know me is more productive than talking to strangers, because my friends constructively point out the broad, sweeping generalities I’m prone to make, and they challenge my various ideas, and get me to hone this or that point. Very, very good. Strangers just smile and say thanks, and make you feel like you said something profound and encouraging. But they don’t point out what you should have clarified, or question what you said.

And afterwards, after most had left, some of us stood around the food table, nibbling the leftovers, in fun, girlish camaraderie.
It was a fun night. And next time, I get to critique what’s said!!!!