In or Out?

The business section of the paper today had an interesting article. In it, the question was asked by a seventh grader, "How can you tell if a country is good or bad?" The speaker replied that it was easy. When you open the gates of a country, are more people trying to run in or trying to run out? It got me thinking about people in general. When you think of people you look forward to seeing, either at work or socially, which ones would you run toward versus run away? What traits do they possess? Are they upbeat and positive or always a downer? Are they anxious to hear what's up in your life or do they go on and on about only what is happening in their life? Do they remember to ask you about something you discussed previously ~ How's your mom feeling? Did you recover the sofa? How does it look? When do you leave on vacation?, etc. Interacting with people is not a one-sided event. Relationships are formed by sharing information about each other, not just about one. We all have met the person that, no matter what story you are telling, they interject about the time it happened to them and it was ________(bigger, better, worse, etc. fill in the blank). The point is, they always turn it around to be about them. They only hear you as a springboard to launch the next story about them. I am pretty sure, this type of person is not aware they are like this. They are too busy thinking up the next thing they are going to say about themselves. If they were a country, people would be running out not in!
Try out my theory this weekend as you gather with people at the beach, barbecues, etc. Which people make you feel better by being around them and which don't? Which are you?