People are so afraid of talking, really talking. Is conversation becoming a lost art?. Most of us talk all the time but say very little. It’s not that we don’t know how to do it, nor that we lack opportunity, but it takes guts and commitment to fully engage with another person, because it involves recognising our own vulnerability and that of others.

You might think that people talk a lot about themselves and how they are feeling. At one level it is true, but it’s superficial. Though we live in a celebrity culture which encourages public avowel and transparency, revelations are usually about appearance, apology or audacity, than they are about connecting with others. They lack the humility and openness that are the hallmarks of self-awareness. Those who live in the public eye often purge their sins or share their angst via the media they have access to, but that’s not talking.

Real conversations involve people talking about important stuff, and fully engaged in the experience. It is a multi-layered process that involves listening and reflecting as well as speaking.

It takes self-assurance; wimps don’t do it neither do show-offs. They are too busy with self-protection to be open to full communication, either with themselves or others.