Research Journal - Methodological Memo/Faith Reflection

For the individual interivew assignment I have chosen to talk with Hadley Hesse Wood, a professor at PLNU who has a dramatic life story, and who brings to her classroom a unique way of seeing the world. I am excited about hearing her story, yet a bit anxious as well. In reading the article Creswell includes as an illustration of Grounded Theory, I have come to see that there is a line I may be unable or unwilling to cross in learning about Hadley's complex life. Stories of abuse hit close enough to home to fill me with dread and may keep me from probing as deeply as I should in order to get a complete picture of how it may have shaped Hadley as a person.
This type of research will require me to step away from my self enough to listen deeply, rather than simply hearing. In accepting the gift of Story from someone, I also accept the responsiblity to listen without hope of intervention or even interaction with certain elements of the story I may very much wish to mitigate for the person with whom I am speaking.
Interviews are attractive to someone with the Strength of Communication, but as an Activator I want to jump in and solve whatever I might perceive to be a problem. Empathy creates a situation where I am so in-tune to the emotions of the other that I cannot help but try to put into action some plan to improve things. Being a Christian seems to compound this dilemma, as I feel it is my job to offer that cup of water to someone in need.
There is a strange dichotomy that this course will require of me: to understand myself enough to recognize how my history and biases affect my work, and yet, to largely remove myself from the framework of the projects in order to get a true picture of the subjects with which I will be in contact.