DAY #6, Entry #2 - Talking

I know you all have been dying for me to get on a soap box, and since my attempt to sleep on the hard concrete floor only lasted an hour, I thought I'd do some typing. I'm three hours into my layover and only have eight more to go. Aggghhhhh!

So, what is the purpose of talking? I think it is to communicate, to transfer information. Too often, if you ask me, people use it to fill dead space, scared of what might happen if something isn't being said. During my ride on the train, I felt like these people were talking just to talk, which can be okay to a point. No one wants to be bored, many people like to fill that "space". I'm not one of them. I am comfortable in that silence. In fact, many time I like that silence. It's calming and the world slows down when there isn't endless chatter.

Now, having said that, I know I have not mastered the art of communication. Honestly, I downright suck at it. I have taken my "talking" philosophy to cover all aspects, including relationships with the people I need to talk to (bosses, collegues, etc) and those that I love. I need to understand that talking also build relationships, builds trust, and builds shared interests. All too often, I dismiss that as talking just to talk.

So, I'll do better to "talk" with those people that I need to talk with and not simply dismiss the opportunity. I can't promise, though, that a train full of American tourists won't still drive me nuts!