Edited by: Vrinda Rastogi
Conversation (noun)
An oral exchange of sentiments, observations, opinions, or ideas.
Conversations are vital for personal growth and form the foundation of human interaction. They help us communicate our thoughts, feelings, and ideas, gain new perspectives and enrich our lives. The people we converse with define how we perceive the world around us and even ourselves. One conversation is all it takes to change the trajectory of our lives. One conversation to break apart life-long friendships. One conversation to change your reality. One conversation can be the harbinger of happiness and the other of despair.
Friend (noun)
A person who is attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
My friend and I are walking around campus with a coffee in hand. We are talking about the most ridiculous things possible. We’re laughing. Now, we’re telling each other our problems because we trust one another. Because our conversations are real. We have been talking to each other for a long, long time.
Having a friend or two that you can trust blindly is truly a boon. Over time, I’ve realised that the friends that surround us shape our identity. They mould us into a better version of ourselves – one we didn’t think could exist. That’s what happens when we surround ourselves with people who get us, who push us to do better, to be better. And all of this happens because we talk to them. The conversations we have with friends form the basis of our relationships with them. They make us more empathetic and teach us to really listen.
Stranger (noun)
A person with whom one has had no personal acquaintance.
I’m at Starbucks, waiting in line to get my coffee. A girl is standing behind me. She compliments my dress. We strike up a conversation and talk about everything from politics to our favourite shows. She’s very different from me. Yet, she is such a wonderful person. Huh.
Talking to a stranger is a very out-of-body experience. You can tell them anything – after all, you might never meet them again. It’s also very comforting. You have a clean slate. These strangers aren’t judging you for what you’ve done in the past. They don’t know what you’ve done in the past. Conversations with strangers compel you to broaden your horizons. They make you more understanding of differing opinions, and more importantly, more respectful towards people you might not agree with.
Teacher (noun)
A person who helps students to acquire knowledge, competence, or virtue, via the practice of teaching.
I sit down across from my teacher’s desk. She’s sipping coffee. She smiles at me and hands me a book. It’s her copy of the novel we have been reading in class. She tells me to keep it, as a memento. My eyes well up. I can’t believe she’s retiring so soon.
The many conversations we have with those that teach us are probably the most important of them all – they bestow upon us the gift of knowledge. This is one of those rare conversations where the “exchange” isn’t equal by a long mile. It never can be. Yet, these conversations are where the seeds of curiosity are sown, where we uncover our interests, and where we discover ourselves.
These examples are just the tip of the iceberg. Conversations ebb and flow through every part of our life. They shatter our hearts into a million pieces, but they mend them too. Our eyes can deceive us but conversations can show us the light. We just need to learn to not be so afraid of them – of having our voice not only heard but actively listened to. Conversations are the beginning of everything. Without them, we’d be lost.