NOV 29, 17 .. WHO IS LISTENING AND WHAT ARE THEY HEARING

I don't think that I am alone when I write : 

Whenever we share at a meeting, or wherever we share our thoughts, we have absolutely no idea whatsoever as to what our audience (be it only one person or a room full of people) will hear (i.e. understand).

Let me paint a short picture of the gentleman I am going to write about here : I would estimate him to be in his late 40's or early 50's. Very bright in appearance and could well be a university educated professional career wise. He was fit and trim and appeared to be in good physical condition. He was very likeable and friendly.

The stage is set. I was asked to give a full and formal open talk. Podium, microphone, a standard format was followed.

My talk lasted a full 45-minutes. 

Right up front, during the first few minutes of my talk, I explained that I have been spending considerable time in Mongolia carrying the message of recovery in A.A. During this introductory period I explained the challenges of working with a translator in Mongolia. That is to say, I will say something in English and my words then have to be translated into the Mongolian Language.

I then went on to give my open talk, speaking for another forty or so minutes. I was very pleased with how it went.

And now for the final curtain.

The next day I encountered the above very bright gentleman in another meeting. When he saw me, he came over to me and said :

"In your open talk last night, you spoke of being in Mongolia and of having to work with a translator who would take your words of English and repeat them in the Mongolian language. I did not believe that there exists such a thing as a Mongolian language. So I went home after your open talk and immediately did a Google search. My Google search proved that you are correct, there is indeed a Mongolian language."

I was polite BUT, I could not believe that this one issue, is there or isn't there such a thing as a Mongolian language, occupied his attention all during my talk to the point he went home and did a Google search to prove or disprove my statement.

I did not ask him what language he thought would be spoken in Mongolia.

Go figure! Who knows who is listening and what they are hearing when any of us speaks.