Real-Life Conversations

​If you’re anything like me, then you like having access to your mobile phone. Mine has become a constant companion, keeping me informed of the time and temperature at a glance, providing entertainment when I get bored, serving as a quick reference guide when I want to look something up, and tracking my steps — even though I have a Fitbit now. (It’s like I need a second opinion.)
 
Unfortunately, that phone can become an obstacle to real-life conversations. So I’ve had to learn to set it aside at times to avoid missing out on personal encounters. I had one such encounter not that long ago. A woman and I sat with our toes under a UV lamp at a nail salon, waiting for our nail polish to dry. Unlike me, she didn’t have a phone in her hand and started making small talk.
 
I could have given her short answers and continued looking at my phone, but this particular time, I chose to forego those comforts and step into the unknown. I put my phone down and engaged in the conversation.
 
Instead of advancing to another level in Candy Crush or catching up with my friends on Facebook, I learned this lady and her husband had been married 50 years and were preparing for a cruise to Italy to celebrate their accomplishment. I got to congratulate her and share about the Hawaiian cruise my husband and I took for our 25th anniversary. The woman and I swapped stories and talked about something we both had in common: travel.
 
I left the nail salon smiling, thankful I had taken the time to listen to a friendly woman and to reciprocate. I may never meet that woman again. But she encouraged me, and I hope I did the same for her. And you know what else? Facebook and Candy Crush were still waiting for me later.