gracie's musings

I’ve had a love-hate relationship with small talk my whole life. I was the 6 year old who acted like she was 20. I remember I didn’t like to do “kid stuff.” I didn’t like cartoons or coloring. In fact, my Sunday school teacher, when I was 6 told my mom I looked bored in class coloring sheets and eating Vanilla wafers (anyone remember those…iykyk haha). She was right. I was moved up a few classes and thoroughly enjoyed discussing Bible stories and having deep theological discussions. My early childhood years were spent reading for hours in my room or watching science videos I found online on anything and everything- think National Geographic, Bill Nye the Science Guy, and the Discovery Channel. I remember my parents bringing my sister and I to family friend dinner parties and getting bored sitting at the kids table. All we seemed to talk about were our favorite flavors of ice cream or movies. I was not interested. I always ended up making my way over to the adult table and sitting on my dad’s lap where conversation seemed much more interesting. Think socioeconomic problems in this country or workplace etiquette.

Over the years, I’ve just tended to want to get right to the meat of topics. That’s just me. I’ve always enjoyed deep, stimulating, and intellectual conversations. I want to hear your testimony and know the meaning of your name before knowing your favorite color or what you had for lunch.

I feel as though my perspective on small talk has shifted. I used to see no reason for using the extra breath. It took a conversation I had about a year and a half ago to slowly open my eyes to the hidden importance of small talk. There is something to be said about this seemingly mundane talk- someone’s favorite food, their go-to emoji, or their pet peeves. It provides another layer of insight into who someone is. I need to value the simple just as I do the complex of life. I think I also need to meet people half-way. Not everyone is like me and wants to discuss heavy topics most of the time. I don’t need to change who I am, but I do think it is worth it to know what someone did last weekend just as much as how time in the Word has been.

Always learning. Never satisfied with where I am at. I am thankful for the revelation.