Small Talk

I have come to almost despise small talk.  I am bad at it. How can you hold a conversation about the weather? I can’t do it. I am horrible with “how are you?” conversations as well. Like, I’m good? No. Hardly any one is ever “good.”  There is none good but God (Mk 10:18)! People are either hurt, stressed, worried, sad, happy, fantastic, rejoicing, sorrowful, mesmerized, smitten, broken spirited, confused, or all of the above.  No one is ever “good!"  However, in a typical small talk situation, if you say anything other than “good,” people tend to think something is wrong with you.  WHAT IS THIS NONSENSE? I can’t take it.

This is why I dig too deep, too fast.  I ask people deep questions that are probably too personal.  I crave deep conversations. What can I say?  I’m good at them.  I am a pretty empathetic person, so I’m good at listening to people talk about the things that are either making their hearts rejoice or suffer. I love it. I crave it. I need it.

This blog post is a partial rant, partial apology, and partial explanation for my conversation habits. If I seem socially awkward in small-talk conversations, I apologize.  If I ask you too deep of questions, please inform me that I’m diving too deep, and I will try to swim back to our figurative kitty pool of conversations we like to call "small talk." 

I hate small talk, but I understand it is an everyday part of life that I really can't avoid.  I need to build a bridge, and get over my struggles.  Until this happens, please be patient with me. J