Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Learning and Loving



"Learning doesn't necessarily lead to loving." Lisa Brochu said this yesterday during a presentation about developing a theme for your community or attraction. I've been contemplating it. For me, there's a definite connection between how much I know about a topic and how I interact with the objects.

I've learned that I'm a "spiritual pilgrimmage" traveller at times, particularly with art. I've often said to people that I need to be "alone to commune with the art," which is pretty much the definition of a spiritual pilgrimmage traveller.

What Brochu was saying is that just because someone learns a fact, a detail, about something, it doesn't mean they will become enchanted with it - begin to love it. They may think it's interesting, and enjoy it, but they won't love it.

To make people love it, they need the stories. That's what people remember, unless a fact strikes them so strongly they commit it to memory.

I really believe this to be the case.

Tonight at dinner I was seated next to a gentleman who, in the course of the evening's conversation, I learned used to own a company that booked speakers. I've thought for a very long time that my next different career is going to be as a professional speaker.

One of the things he told me tonight was, "People don't want to be educated, they want to be entertained." I was reminded of what Brochu said yesterday. I think it's the same concept.

The stories entertain. This is valuable information.

Now, the question remains, whatever shall my speech topic be? I have so many interests to pursue. I'm a lucky, lucky girl!