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LIFE | Noah Brier

50 Important Words

Three months ago I asked if anyone wanted to meet up. Turns out it taught me an incredible lesson.

October 9, 2006 | RSS | EMAIL | PRINT | 8 COMMENTS

Three months ago I wrote the most important thing I've written on this website (and maybe ever). Funny enough it was probably the shortest entry I ever wrote and definitely not the most insightful. It didn't get any comments, either, but that doesn't matter.

In fact, for the hell of it, here's the entry in it's entirety:

Lately I've had a desire to meet some people from the blog world in person. So, if you're a reader of this blog and live or are visiting the NYC area, drop me a line and we'll get coffee or a drink.

That's all for now. Talk to you later.

50 words.

The lesson I learned from that entry is simple and something that will stick with me forever.

The only thing keeping you from meeting interesting people is you.

It's pretty simple, really. Since that day I've been proactive. I've reached out to interesting people, inviting them to a coffee or something similar.

Out of that 50 word entry grew likemind, an idea much bigger than I could have ever imagined.

The bottom line is that there's a world of people out there feeling exactly the same as you. They're worried about looking odd or sounding like a stalker if they send an email to their favorite blogger/author/artist. But chances are, the person on the other end will be more honored than anything else to know someone is paying attention.

With that I'm adding the following line to my about page: If you want to chat or meet up sometime around New York City, please just send me an email. Don't worry, I promise I won't think you're weird or anything like that. In fact, I do the same thing all the time.

I'm thinking maybe all people need to motivate them is reassurance that it's okay to reach out.

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COMMENTS

1Loren Feldman

Nice. You are a class act. It's so true, people are afraid of each other. They shouldn't be.

October 9, 2006

2jeff

People should ABSOLUTELY be afraid of each other. A lot of people are nuts and everyone's opinion is not worth listening to.

October 9, 2006

3Loren Feldman

Jeff you are a fraidy cat. Buckle up and stop being such a wuss.

October 9, 2006

4Noah Brier

Fraidy cat is a very funny term.

October 9, 2006

5jeff

Dude...people...not good.

October 9, 2006

6ray

so when is the likemind ny meeting?

October 11, 2006

7ray

I meant, when is the NEXT likemind ny meeting?

October 11, 2006

8Claire Hyland

Now I get it....

Funny, but I had a profound realisation to a similar tune earlier in the year. I owe it to Nick Hornby, author of "It's a Long Way Down".

In the book, four unlikely characters meet on the top of a derelit building in London on New Year's Eve to commit suicide.

These four strangers, who were all convinced that they were alone and going to end it all that way, sit down together, share out the pizza and begin to talk....and so the scene is set.

Maureen is there because of Matty being in the home. Matty, her son, is severly handicapped. He was never able to do any of the normal things kids do - like walk or talk - and loving-mum Maureen can't cope any more. Dutiful Catholic that she is, she's about to commit the 'biggest sin of all'.

But she doesn't....and without telling you the whole story there is a moment in the book that is heartbreaking sad, yet incredibly illuminating....Maureen attends a pretty pathetic social event, (though nonetheless a gathering of real people), for the first time in years and she's the happiest she's been in twenty years. Why is she happy? She's happy because she has finally managed to leve the confines of house and met individuals, for nothing other than the possibility of having fun. If she hadn't left her sitting room, how could she ever have experienced the joy of intereacting with real people?

I don't have the book in front of me right now to give you a direct quote, but you get the point. If you don't leave your living room (computer screen), you are effectively limiting your social interactions. A real hello is decidedly different (better?) than a virtual hello.

I'll see you at the next Likemind.

December 4, 2006