Authentic Conversations -- Meaningful or Taboo?

Something interesting happened to me the other day.

I crossed paths with an old friend who I hadn’t seen in about 10 years or more. We weren’t particular close in the “old days” but we belonged to a common organization that brought us together a lot back in the day.

On this occasion, after so many years with no contact, we exchanged the usual pleasantries…but then suddenly the conversation got serious. She began telling me about the personal road she had traveled over the past several years, and the challenges she faced, and how she had grown from the experience. It was a heavy conversation for a chance meeting between old friends.

She was authentic. She was unabashed. She was open and honest.

She literally poured out her heart to me.

As I listened intently, I felt honored that she chose to share all that with me. ME, this person who hadn’t made any contact in over a decade.

I was so inspired, in fact, that I shared one of my major breakthroughs with her. It’s something I’ve only told 2 or 3 of my very close friends. Yet I felt very comfortable sharing this with her, since after all, we were on the topic of personal growth.

Then the really interesting part happened.

We part ways, and agree to keep in touch (which in this case, I was sure was more than just a nicety) and an hour or two later, I get an email from her.

She was APOLOGIZING for telling me all that she did. She hoped I didn’t think she was crazy for pouring all that personal information onto me, since we hadn’t spoken in so long.

When did it become “taboo” to have a heart-to-heart conversation? Why does our society insist that we hide behind chit-chat about what we saw on TV last night, or the latest disaster that the media is exploiting, or constant complaining about our lot in life?

Think about the last really deep, meaningful conversation you had. Who was it with? How long did you have to know that person before you felt comfortable opening up to them? How many useless conversations about pointless drivel did you have before you really got to the good stuff?

How would your relationships change if you really started being authentic in your conversations?

Wouldn’t they be more fulfilling? Wouldn’t you invite more intimacy? At the very least, wouldn’t life be more interesting?

Think about it. Change one thing, and your whole life can get better.

What one thing can YOU change today???