Conversation

I believe this can go into my photodiary. I'm about to write somewhat of an ode to conversation. (Not literally a poem, because I'm horrible at those).

I once wrote about trying to figure out the art of conversation in one of my earlier blogs. I can't say that I know how to do it now, but I think I honestly have improved -- or perhaps I haven't, but now I've just gained a stronger appreciation for successful conversations.

I bring this up because today (I say today, but actually mean yesterday because it's 3:56 AM!), I conducted that very thing -- a successful conversation. It was with one of the guys in my psychology class with whom I don't speak very often, but we had the same train destination and so some sort of communication had to be had between us, lest it be awkward and uncomfortable (which at first it was).

a train in my city's main train station

We, at first, sat in the aforementioned uncomfortable silence, but I am very averse to such silences -- I feel as though when you are with another, you must try to converse with them otherwise it is somewhat rude and invariably awkward --  and so forced myself to get the ball of conversation rolling, consequently finding out very interesting things about his past, his secondary school.

The act of conversing successfully was beautiful. From the clockwork that churns and turns in the mind, searching your vocabulary for the right words, for the right effect, to the process that is converting those thoughts into sounds that travel to your interlocutor. The very feel of the words in your mouth, on your tongue, brushing past your lips as they leave. I love a successful conversation.

This successful conversation helped me to get over yesterday's very unsuccessful one. It was also on the train, but it primarily consisted of that fearful, forsaken silence. It depressed me for a while afterwards, being unable to converse. I felt like a failure.

But at least I know I have it in me. I hope for much successful discourse in the future; it's much of what makes life worth living! The interaction of two or more minds, working at the primarily (exclusively?) human art of conversation.

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