I am sick of small talk.
While there is a time and place for, “Hi, how are you?” followed by “Good, how are you?”, I crave more. I want deeper, authentic relationships where the conversation goes beyond the weather, general updates, vacation highlights, and other surface-level topics that find themselves as social media posts followed by an exclamation point.
I have always been inquisitive. (An OSU professor even told me once I was limited to three questions per class!) I enjoy learning about unfamiliar topics and when I don’t know someone, I want to strike up a conversation. I am simply hardwired to connect. In fact, we all are.
However, connection – real connection – requires openness, vulnerability, courage. It is risky business, and while sometimes it can result in pain, connections also create the most beautiful tapestry. And to weave a tapestry together, you have to go beyond small talk.
