I know a little bit about type, but I always love it when I get an aha moment. When I see it in action.  And I especially love it when I see - in relief - my own assumptions about the nature of things. Or about how to do things.

My wife and I – both introverts – had been living in a town in Florida for several years when her parents decided – in their retirement – to move to the same town. I love her parents and we were thrilled to have them in the same city with us.

Here’s the funny - and telling - part of the story. We had them over for dinner very soon after they’d moved to town and we were all sitting around the dinner table. My father-in-law gestured at me with his drink and said, “Did you know they’re building an addition to the stadium at the university?”

No.  

“Yeah, I was talking to this guy. We were standing in line at the quick stop getting coffee. It’s going to have….” And he went on to describe when and how it would be built, who it was dedicated to, and so on.  

Interesting.

My wife and I looked at each other and smiled. This was so him!

He continued, “Oh, and  I was getting my car washed the other day and talking to this guy who was waiting there too. He works at the university. We’ve been looking for a local doctor and he had some really good recommendations. Have you heard of any of them?” He then goes on to list some good primary care people in town.  This went on as he shared some other things he’d learned from someone he’d met at Target, and then someone he’d met at the motor vehicle office, etc.

In a blinding moment of insight I registered (a) Wow, he knows more about this town already and I’ve been here a lot longer, and  (b) - this is the funny obvious part - Hey, you mean you can really learn things by talking to people?

He’s an extravert with feeling and I’m an introvert with thinking. Not surprisingly one of my first inclinations in learning and exploring something new is to search online or to read a book.

Wow, you can really learn something by talking to people?

Funny huh?  Well, I’ve learned my lesson.  

Now I talk to people – sometimes.