Humanity underestimates the influence of a good conversation. No, not a few quick messages haphazardly strung together to form the phrases “what’s up” and “how are you”. I mean the real, face-to-face conversations that feel like you’re inventing language for the first time. The sounds that slip off of your tongue and form phrases, those phrases that form prose, and, from that prose, poetry. The ability to express your thoughts and emotions to another person is an ability that is uniquely human and often overlooked.

The best example of this that I could find was in the movie Good Will Hunting. The development of the protagonist is largely attributed to the conversations held between himself and other characters throughout the plot. Without the conversations held, Will would not have developed as a character. A phrase as simple as “it’s not your fault” triggered a million emotions after the conversations of the rest of the movie.

Conversations cause people to open up. They inspire new ideas, and encourage creativity and vulnerability. The best memories are most often attributed to conversations that triggered emotions and new insights to new ideas. Humanity longs for that compassion and understanding, which can often be found in genuine conversation.

In today’s world, humans rarely find the genuine trust and make the connections that develop into true friendships and/or relationships. We long for the type of conversation that lingers through the late night and pauses only to watch the rising sun. It’s how these conversations develop over time that influence, change, and direct us to our full personhood.