Posted: Sun Jan 13, 2008 12:42 PM CST
The Art of Conversation
I ran into an old friend a few weeks ago and we went out to lunch. That's when it occured to me that the art of conversation is gone, at least menaingful conversation. Of course we opened with the usual small talk, the standard what are you doing, where are you living, hows the family stuff. It was when I started asking him real questions that things went down hill. I ask him his view on the current presidential candidates, his response? "I don't care" and so it went on and on with every question.
I don't understand what happened to my friend. Sure it was him, but clearly he wasn't the same. In fact when we were at lunch I thought I was with a complete stranger. Here was a guy that used to have an opinion or thought about EVERYTHING. We often debated over topic after topic, often in heated exchanges but always respectful of one another. Yet now he had nothing to say, about anything and it threw me for a loop to say the least. We ended lunch and saaid our goodbyes, stay in touch stuff and went on our separate ways.
I couldn't help but think as he walked away how sad I felt. I clearly had lost my friiend for whatecer reason. I may never know what happened to him. I had asked in a joking manner, but he said he hadn't changed so I dropped it no sense in arguing the point when he had insisted otherwise.
Which brings me to a question in general. Why as a society have we stopped talking about the real issues we are confronted with on a daily basis? It seems no matter where you go these days an intelligent, thought provoking conversation is impossible to find. Has the art of conversation died? I think it has at the very least taken a step backwards. When good conversation is scarce, it's not a good thing. We remain stuck in one place, not evolving or changing. Maybe it hasn't died, maybe I'm just looking for it too hard or not in the right places. I don't know the answer, but I thirst for the knowledge to find it.
Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2008 3:00 AM CST
Aonther Birthday.......
My birthday arrived right on time as usual at 12:01 January 12th. LIke every year I didn't have a choice as to weather I wanted it to or not. I suppose I could pretend it isn't here, but nobody else will and that would make denial pretty difficult. It's not that I don't like the day, it just gets tiresome at times. The "wow you're getting older" or "you're an old man now" blah blah blah routine is rather annoying sometimes. Family and friends seem to think that I'm an idiot apparently at this time of year(yes I really do know how old I am, I can count to ten too). I know what you're thinking right now too, lighten up it's all in good fun right? Perhaps I'm bothered by it because I don't do it to others when it's their birthday. A simple Happy Birthday is all that really needs to be said right?
I have also noticed as I get older I find myself not enjoying them as much. Not that I'm crabby or miserable, I enjoy life 365 days a year. It's just not as fun as when I was a kid growing up. Wearing those silly hats amd blowing those crazy noise makers and all. Yeah I can do that now(and I have in the past) but I'm not that innocent child that views the world as an innocent place as only a child can.
I've seen wars that I don't agree with nor understand. I've seen poverty and starvation in a country that sends billions overseas to other nations while children here go to bed hungry. Homeless who cannot find shelter from the cold, but billions being spent to rebuild countrys we've blown up to begin with. Medical aid to foreign lands while my own fellow countrymen cannot afford healthcare. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.
Which leads me to this conclusion-perhaps I don't enjoy birthdays as much because I long for the days of my youth when the only real problem I had was having a bedtime.
Oh and forgive me if thisw sounds like a wandering, senseless rant. i'm new at this whole blogging thing, cut me some slack. It is my birthday afterall :)