After a multi-hour conversation with a dear friend last week, I was reminded just how delicious it can be to communicate unfettered by time. This friend is one of several who have been in my life for decades.
The history I share with members of this special group gives us a unique perspective on each other’s lives. Mutual caring prompts our curiosity to discover anything and everything we might not know.
This recent conversation was in person, which gave us the doubly-delicious treat of sharing lunch. But telephone or video calls lasting up to my current record of four hours have also been a source of joy and connection.
These long-form conversations are often months apart unless something critical has happened. In person, they most often include coffee, tea, or a wonderful meal – which gives us even more to talk about.
Reflecting on Deep Conversations
I encourage people to engage in random conversations to build comfort with one-on-one communication. Lengthy conversations can be a challenge since we need to allocate time for them. The natural way in which we got lost for hours together as children has not always found a place with us as adults.
Quite often, it’s a birthday or holiday that brings a long conversation – typically virtual since most of my friends live in different parts of the US or different countries of the world. Meeting in person is a rare and welcome luxury.
There is so much I want to know that questions easily flow. The same is true with those I see and speak with more often. Time flies by in these long-form conversations as if only minutes have passed, but the positive impact lasts forever.
It is a shared mindset of intentional honoring that makes these conversations so meaningful. We can say anything to each other and savor the experience of being heard and accepted for exactly who we are.
There has never been any judgment between us, and I know that will always be the case. That safety allows us the freedom to speak from our hearts.
The supportive warmth of these connections remains long after we say goodbye, filling the gaps of time until the next hello.
Moving Forward
How long is long-form? It’s more about the depth of the conversation and less about the time on the clock. The content can span from a catch-up to a deep dive into something in which the opinion of a person we wholeheartedly trust is the exact sounding board we need.
We live in times of fractured communication when any of a number of subjects are raised. Some prefer to judge and deride, causing a rift. What is needed is to engage deeply with an open heart.
Communicating with a mindset of intentional honoring may not fully heal the fracture, but it helps. It creates a ripple effect that brings positive change into the world. And it sure does feel good – no matter how long the form.
Photo by Alinsa on Adobe Stock
