Shootin' shit

I went out for a sneaky little shoot today and invited a mate to come with me which he thought was cool because he's not a gun guy and had never been shooting with me.

I had an ulterior motive.

We wandered about and I shot some stuff and then we went to a little spot I know besides a creek, a place that floods in very heavy rain but is usually dry and because there's a natural rise to the low hills there's a fairly tall cliff that's been worn away by many years of flood waters - the perfect place for him to have a shoot.

I'm not much into wasting ammunition, it costs far too much money and because I make my own it's a time thing as well - wasting time isn't my thing at all. But I knew the chap had some things on his mind and I thought him putting some rounds down range for a bit then a sit down for some lunch would maybe open him up a little. It worked.

We sat there shootin' the shit (talking) after he'd put forty or so rounds down range and ate some lunch I'd bought in my back pack and he told me about a few challenges he was dealing with - I don't need to go into them here, let's just say they're fairly momentous.

I didn't solve any of his problems, that's not what he wanted and it's not my place, but I could see as we hiked back to my truck that a weight seemed to have lifted and he said as much (in his own way) and I felt the day had been a success.

Everyone has an opinion these days and people seem incapable of keeping it to themselves even when speaking it is inappropriate, unhelpful or unasked for, especially so as they may not know all the facts or be close enough to the situation to see it clearly and objectively; people are quick to say, "here's what you need to do," instead of just listening, being a sounding board and allowing the other person to peel back the layers in their own time.

Today, I let my friend talk, (in between the sound of rifle fire and the chewing of lunch), and I said little. He appreciated that and i believe through him opening up a few aspects became clearer for him which is what I was hoping.

Do you find yourself offering unsolicited advice, speaking when you should be listening, trying to solve other people's problems when you have no business doing so and other such things? We have two ears and one mouth and there's a lot to be said for using them in that proportion - listening more than we speak.

What are your thoughts on it?