My Grandma's sister (my Aunt Lolly) rode with me from MSU to a small town in Alabama on her way to see my Grandma. She lives in Texas, so her daughter Mary drove her to Starkville for me to take her the rest of the way. It wasn't until a little over half way through our four hour drive that she said "I told Mary I didn't know what we would have to talk about during the car ride, I always thought you were quiet!" Mind you, we hadn't stopped talking since we got in the car. We talked about everything from politics, to God, to her childhood, and of course my Grandma. I really enjoyed the time we got to spend together, but her statement stuck in my mind and I couldn't help but reflect on the many times I've heard it from others throughout my life.

I considered myself a generally shy person up until my sophomore year of high school. I can vividly remember my FFA advisor telling someone about my freshman year and how she had only heard me say a few words, but once I warmed up to her and we started talking about things I was passionate about she couldn't get me to shut up. From hearing her perspective I realized that I wasn't shy- I was afraid of not being heard. I thought that if I talked about nonsense all the time, nobody would listen when I had something important to say. So in responce to that thought process, I didn't speak unless I had something to say/wanted to be heard. Something I valued, or had a strong belief in, or just thought that others should know.

Obviously, I would be lying if I said I never talk about things that don't matter in a general sense. My friends and I talk about funny tweets, awkward interactions we have when we bump into people we went to high school with, the new clothes we just bought, and random things that happen throughout the day; however, we value real conversations too. The people that are important to me don't mind having a discussion about the things that shaped us to be who we are or how our God made the world around us beautiful despite our ungratefulness. I know that it seems cheesy, but those that I value aren't affraid to share their opinions and show that they have feelings. Don't get confused: we don't just sit around and talk about all the "deep" topics that cross our minds, but when appropriate it's good to hear another person's perspective on the world that we live in.

Based on experience, I have come to realize that my generation lives in constant fear of being judged as well as others knowing that they actally have feelings. We talk, and talk, and talk some more about who's kissing who and what so-and-so thinks about this instead of having our own opinions. When a couple breaks up, the guy typically acts like he doesn't (or never did) care and the girl tries to get over it by posting all over social media how much of a "great" time she's having. When a friend group splits, they spread each other's secrets and sometimes make up stories about each other so nobody else will like the individual people. It's a contstant cycle of pretending to love, someone getting hurt, and then hate spread as an act of denial.

I guess what I'm trying to get across to you is this: Its okay to be honest about the way that you feel and talk about things that are on your mind. My Aunt Lolly taught me that there's no harm in getting to know someone you love a little more, failed relationships have taught me that going out with someone that doesn't care who you are and why you became that way is a waste of time, and friendships that fell apart due to lack of communication taught me to choose friends that value my words just as much as I do theirs. In addition to the obvious that I've already told you, talking about the things that matter most to you can enhance your life in ways you'd never imagine and frankly I don't know of a good reason not to.