I receive lectures a lot, from a wide range of people. I generally take it as a badge of honor, because I figure it means they think I'm valuable enough to lecture. But I had a weird experience today.
A friend brought up a problem and began to lecture. Not recommend or discuss, but lecture. It was heavy. It was uncomfortable. And I had this choice on how to receive it. (You always have a choice.) And in the midst of this very uncomfortable, strange conversation that I hadn't expected, I realized that this was a step of intimacy in our friendship. I realized that the way we responded to each other in this, the way I'd choose to respect and disagree, the way he would respond and mediate and if he'd listen and how he related this to me, this heavy, awkward, strange piece of communication was more important than dozens of conversations we'd had previously. This was a step of trust or a rejection, and we chose.
I'm challenging you to write a scene where your character receives a lecture from someone for the first time. The judgements can feel unfair. The assumptions can be overbearing. The advice can seem extreme. But if you let yourself experience the intimacy of the moment, a lecture can turn into something wonderful.
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