It is tempting to idealize meaningful communication moments and assume that they only happen on vacations, after closing major business deals, or when the stars magically align. In reality, opportunities for meaningful communication materialize with amazing abundance.
Some of our most important—and our most cherished—communication moments occur when we least expect them, interspersed throughout our daily life. Just how often these moments occur is a tribute to the inherently social nature of humans.
A chance encounter with an old friend gives rise to glorious reminiscing and so much laughter that our ribs start to hurt, a relative’s quick call makes us feel great for the rest of the day, an impromptu discussion with a colleague helps us envision a potential solution to a nagging problem, and a few minutes of serendipitous conversation with our spouse, partner, or kids brings us a bit closer together.
Taking advantage of these moments is how, over weeks and months and years, enduring and enriching relationships are built, nurtured, and strengthened. Good communication leads to meaningful interactions, which, one after another, add up to improve the overall quality of our lives.
A quandary of the digital age is that the ability to communicate is right at our fingertips, but so too are distractions and temptations that all too often prevent or discourage meaningful communication from happening.
The distortions arising from this digital age quandary are depressingly familiar to most of us:
I didn’t call my grandfather today, but I fooled around on the Internet for almost an hour; I haven’t called my wife to see how an important meeting went, but I checked the price of a stock I don’t own ten times; It’s been months since I took a minute and sent my niece a card—she loves to get mail—but I spent many minutes today reading blogs I’ve already forgotten.
The thing is, my granddad’s not getting any younger, my marriage won’t make itself great, and my niece isn’t going to run to the mailbox forever.
Good relationships are created one conversation at a time. It’s up to us make them count.
Originally posted on mouthpeaceconsulting.com.