My Recent Experience

The other day I came upon a very common sight: a toddler in a pushchair swiping a smartphone to watch the pretty colors go by. All his attention was inches from his nose while the vibrant beauty and mystery of life in Manhattan unfolded around him. I can understand the need for distraction, but is a phone the best option?

There are others I have observed who use the opportunity of going from Point A to Point B to encourage a child’s curiosity. Parents and caretakers point to a particular building, or a beautiful tree, or a foraging squirrel and, in doing so, engage the child’s delight of discovery.

This latter group of individuals effectively teaches children to observe the world around them – and to be curious as they interact with their environment. There is a lesson here for us, as well.

Seeing and Conversation

In the new Broadway musical “Some Like it Hot” (which I loved!!), one character says,

“The world only reacts to what it sees. And in my experience, the world doesn’t have very good eyesight.”

Not only do we react to what we see, we often share that reaction with others. Perhaps one of the kindest things we can do is to be fully aware of what is right in front of us.

I wish I could say that I check the box on this one, but all the times I’ve tripped or fallen as a result of not seeing a sidewalk upheave or an indentation in the street attests to the fact that I need to do a far better job.

I am too often guilty of keeping my head in the clouds as I follow some jumble of thoughts rather than focusing on my immediate environment. Most often, however, I am curious and observant – and there is an advantage to that when it comes to conversation.

I often hear the lament, “I don’t know what to talk about.” Really?! Not only are there your varied interests and your curiosity about another person, you also have an unlimited number of observations to make and share from the world in which you interact.

More likely, choosing just one from an infinite array of topics to start a conversation might be the challenge. Once we start talking, the door opens for a bit of alchemy. We delve deeper and understand more as we hear additional points of view. That is the beauty of conversation.

Moving Forward

What we see impacts what we talk about – and what we talk about impacts how we process what we see. Curiosity engages us in our environment, which expands our vision and enhances our understanding. We start seeing with fresh eyes.

The process of sharing can allow a delightful, delicious conversation to unfold, which is something that makes me very happy.

What do you see?

Image by prostooleh on Freepik.