The Art Of Conversation

Benedicamus Domino!

I enjoy a really good conversation. It's one of the things which truly brings me happiness: whether I'm participating in a lively debate or listening to others converse, or even engaging in something more intimate. I love a good conversation! Though, I think the best conversations are had when people are all on the same page and are willing to explore a topic to its deepest and most contraversial level, and when they can do it without emotion: without becoming so caught up in their own points of view that they lose the fact that this is only a discussion. When the rule states: "Don't discuss religion or politics," I'm generally the first one to discuss either, and when I'm with a group of people who can do so in an open and honest manner, while at the same time not being afraid or offended at another person's point of view, then learning is possible. Then, growing is possible.

In these days of the internet, some people think that the art of conversation is being lost. I, however, do not believe this. Just in the past few weeks, I have had several stimulating conversations with people who themselves were genuinely interested in the exploration of a given topic. They challenged me and I challenged them, and we challenged each other to think critically and to truly listen to each other as we spoke.

This kind of thing is somewhat lacking for me of late, and I need to pursue it more fully. I intend, therefore, to make it a point to cultivate conversations with people, even if this needs to happen through email or other virtual media. All I know is that it is very easy to be trapped in one's own head, and that proper and probing conversation is a way to stretch one's own point of view, to think outside the box of one's own thinking patterns, and this is what I sorely need to do.

Deo Gratias!