Jonathan Meyer.

As of late I feel like people don’t seem as interested in getting “deep”. Very few want to dive into the meat and potatoes. Does anyone reflect on ideas shared? It is my belief young people (from my generation) have struggled in learning how to communicate with others. In a world of technology and waning face to face interaction we only seem to be having surface level conversations.

I bring this topic up after a bit of scattered inspiration. I often find myself hanging out in our college dining hall trying to strike up a good conversation with my peers. I found out very quickly, my college friends are not on their phones very much.

Another piece of inspiration was reconnecting with an old friend. A new relationship with this returning face led me to evaluate my current relationships. What I landed on through all of that is my value for meaningful conversations.

To start, what is a meaningful conversation? I would define a meaningful conversation as the exchange and interpretation of ideas between people. In my definition I wouldn’t count small talk, while still communicating one or two word answers don’t quite do it for me. In a conversation I’m looking for an exchange of ideas, something that elicits a response, and gets people interested.

One of the biggest ways I find myself connecting to people is by listening to their passions. No matter if I have any interest, someone talking with passion instantly feels purposeful and important.

In doing some field experience hours for an education class I’m in, this same idea of passion played out. Two students sat at a table with me and I instantly knew they were passionate. One was glued to the state basketball tournament and the other was talking to me about paranormal investigation. I’d ask the first student about the score of the game while the other student researched another element of the paranormal and would share his information with me. Do I have a strong interest in state basketball or what ghosts haunt old buildings? No, not really. Despite my indifference with these topics I was captivated by the way these students cared.

As I’ve grown older I realize the best conversations don’t come from who you expect. Most impactful things are pretty random.

I’ve shared a few times about my roommate Chris and my coworker turned close friend Matt. Both of these guys have a few things in common with me. “Most people can find common ground”, you might say. Yes, absolutely we can all find common ground. What takes similarities from just something that exists to something that connects us, is how we communicate. Chris and I have great conversations about college life, running, music, food, politics, traveling, and our own experiences. Same idea with Matt too. We talk about work, family, struggles, politics, art, life experiences. My point being, taking connections and talking about them is a surefire way to have meaningful conversations.

As for any of my columns, I hope this finds you well. I’m no expert, just a curious person with a laptop and some ideas. Looking at our conversations with others, I challenge you to listen for and share your own passions and connections. Our world is only a better place when we talk to one another.

Until our next meaningful conversation, I’m just Jonathan.