The Art of Communication

I am a people watcher.  As I sit here in the waiting room of VCU’s surgical center I realize that the art of communication is nearly lost.  Where once strangers would strike up conversations at the drop of a hat, there is now self centered silence.  I watch as the older generations chat among each other; while the younger generations are on their phones or devices; absolutely silent and devoid of emotion.I watch as one elderly man wearing a US Navy cap interrupts his reading of an old Reader’s Digest to ask a much younger woman if she is waiting on a friend or family member to be out of surgery.  He’s reaching out; trying to bridge the generational gap.  The young woman’s response is classic of this time and age.  She smiles, nods, and goes back to ignoring the world while surfing the web at her fingertips.  The look of sheer disappointment on the elderly man’s face was heartbreaking.I set my work aside for a few moments and struck up a conversation with this man.  He told me all about how when he joined the Navy he went from boot camp in VA to a training center in FL.  When in FL he was assigned to the first crew to be trained to operate the guided missiles.  He’s hoped to be stationed on the west coast, however he was stationed in Norfolk, VA (45 minutes from his childhood home) for the duration of his Navy enrollment.  He then went on to tell me about a humanitarian trip he took recently to Puerto Rico with his wife.  This friendly elderly man lit up talking about these things.  In truth, I think he was chatting with me to keep his mind off his wife being in surgery.The younger girl gathered up her items and left, shooting a look over her shoulder at me.  Almost like she couldn’t believe I was talking to a stranger.  I let out a giggle; this made the elderly gentleman laugh also.Have we really gone so far in society that we can’t relate to the need to talk to another human being?  Aren’t we setting ourselves up for a lonely life if we only live to see what our devices show us?I find in my adventures some people are genuinely curious.  Others are avoiding thinking about whatever is on their minds.  Others are fueled by a need to learn new things.  Others still, much like me, like to relate to humanity.  We like to see where other people’s paths have lead them.