When You Stop and Listen
Presented by Western Paper
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By Lara Smedley
One of my favorite activities in life is to discover a new restaurant. Working for over 15 years in the event industry has afforded me the privilege of collaborating with and meeting some amazingly talented individuals who create culinary experiences that engage all of your senses.
Pre-pandemic life was filled with busy food halls, packed event venues, and booked dining rooms. Front of house staff buzzing around and waiting on eager customers. The fast-paced environment felt natural. What we saw as customers was good food, thoughtful ambience, and graceful staff. Then March 2020 hit. The façade that had so eloquently packaged restaurant life with the glitz and glamour quickly dissipated to uncover cracks that needed to be acknowledged and corrected.
In April of 2020, I was invited by CHOW, Culinary Hospitality Outreach & Wellness, to lead one of their newly formed virtual meetings with a purposeful conversation technique I had been fine tuning since 2018. On that call our topic was Gratitude, and my first question to the group was, “What is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?” As I sat back and listened to the stories being shared, I began to see guards start to gently fall and the weight of the world’s problems quietly take a back seat (even if for just that moment). It was in this safe space of vulnerability, where listening and feeling heard were the foundation, that I began to understand the power in providing the space to share your story.
Over the next 19 months, I would listen to stories centered around topics like Acceptance, Identity, Forgiveness, and Trust. As I reflect on what it took for these storytellers to open themselves up to a group of their peers, I can’t help but be inspired. I’m inspired by the trust that was formed at each and every meeting. Individuals from varying backgrounds, with their thread of commonality being food, came together and held the space for everyone to be heard. What if we did that more in life? What if we listened not to provide an answer or solution, but rather to just let someone else be seen and their experience validated? I’m also inspired by the authenticity that showed up each and every week. Life hurts, especially when you are going through a global pandemic, but it doesn’t have to hurt alone. What if instead of holding onto our pride we realized the power that is created by community?
I don’t have all, or really any of the answers, for how to heal from a pandemic or the many other trials of life. What I do know is since April 2020 I’ve spent a lot of time just listening. Hearing different perspectives. Soaking in the wisdom of individuals who may not realize their truth is healing someone else. So go out there. Tell your story, and then listen.
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With over a decade of sports marketing and event production experience, Lara began Smedley Events in 2018. Lara’s passion for creating memorable experiences for event attendees, coupled with meeting the strategic goals of corporations, brands and non-profit organizations, is at the core of what drives Smedley Events’ success.
Beyond client work Smedley Events produces its own events centered around purposeful conversation and building community. In 2019, Smedley Events launched its first series of purposeful conversation events with the Sunset Dinner Experience and has taken this concept on the road with Better Together Dinners.
Opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent the views of Best Served. To achieve our mission of bringing more voices to the table, we are committed to sharing a variety of viewpoints across the industry.
