I don’t mind small talk at all. I’ve met tons of people, mostly senior citizens, at the grocery store or people waiting in line at the post office, and we’ve engaged in small talk. I’ve gained a couple of new friends that way. It’s just like breaking the ice, relieving a little tension, and showing that we are human beings and not just fire plugs waiting in line. I don’t like to be in a crowd of people and just remain stone faced. I enjoy engaging people, even if it’s just about the weather, what’s for dinner tonight or how much my feet are killing me for standing in this line for so long. I’ve gotten the feeling that some of the people that I’ve struck up conversations with, especially the seniors, may have gone weeks without having a conversation with anybody. Some of the younger people who I’ve struck up conversations with, seemed like they were stuck in a rut of sour-puss-ness, but when we sarted talking, they seemed to lighten up a little bit. Our world is so rush, rush, and people text and send e-mails, but they don’t learn how to converse with each other in person. That makes me sad.
Of course, deeper conversations are wonderful, especially with people that you know well and really like and love. There’s a place and time for both kinds of conversations.