Small talk, big difference

Small talk: it splits divide, some love it, some absolutely avoid it at all costs.

I grew up with a father who is unable to be in a queue of people without striking up at least one conversation with a stranger.

I remember as a child it used to both amaze me and embarrass me. “Here goes dad once again chatting with some random person”

Fast forward 40 years and I seem to have inherited exactly the same quality, as I now deem it.

For example I know and chat to every single person who works at the three different petrol stations I fill up my van at. However I also know which ones are less keen to talk and which ones will happily ask how everything is going with the dogs and where I have been.

You see I am a firm believer that life is made up of the small experiences in the everyday. Be friendly, smile and chat to people and most likely they will be friendly back to you.

Last time I went skiing I saw a guy with a mono ski. Without the slightest hesitation I went over and congratulated him on his choice of equipment, stating that my mono ski was actually back home in the storage room.

Instead of thinking I was a weirdo we struck up a good conversation and proceeded to ski together for the next 80 minutes chatting about a wide variety of life subjects.

So all this to say that if ever you enjoy a bit of small talk but you are a bit too shy to approach complete strangers, just dive right in and go for it. It could well enrich your life.

Doggies: Ellie, Haraka, Lucy and Trassel