August 2022, Conversations (I Never Had) With Luna and Other Stories

How’s the Weather Today?

I often ask and get asked the question – “How’s the weather like over there today?”

This is a most welcome conversation-starter with someone. We are scattered all over the place, and it would be nice to know what the weather is like somewhere else, aside from what the other person is doing or busy with at the moment.

I often like to extend this conversation by asking the other person which season they prefer – summer or winter? dry or wet? hot or cold? The conversation then becomes more involved, interesting, even animated at times.

We get the lowdown on the pros and cons of either season. This is based mainly on the responses I get from family and friends, and strangers too.

So, let’s get on to it.

Why Conversations are Good for You

Reach out! Talk to someone! Start a conversation!

Whether it be just a simple phone call, a chat over online messaging, a catch up over coffee, start talking.

Studies and Research have actually found that this communication is good, not just for physical fitness, but also for mental health and emotional well-being.

When you have a conversation with someone, your body literally relaxes. Your organs slow down, your blood pressure lowers, your heart rate stabilizes, your level of stress, anxiety and tension decreases, you become more energised, and that headache you just had an hour ago? Gone. Your shakes or twitch? Gone.

When you have a conversation with someone, your state of mind is more focused instead of foggy, your cognitive function and memory improves, you become more organised and a better problem-solver, you gain other perspectives, and broaden your knowledge. You have clarity.

When you have a conversation with someone, you feel lighter in your chest. You feel a weight has been taken off of your shoulders. You are less angry and have less grudges. You feel both valid and valued, appreciated and loved. You feel whole and complete. You understand that you are enough. You resolve conflict and make connections. Your heart may even flutter – in a good way. You cheer up. You become less lonely, and instead happy-er.

You & I

Whether you are a writer or a reader, you may be wondering what the proper use of the pronoun I versus pronoun You in a sentence is. Sometimes, it can spell the difference between a good and a bad read. At first glance, they appear to be one and the same, and interchangeable: if you were to create either a new post or article, you’d be hard-pressed to come up with the correct word. With nearly identical uses and in many cases the appearance of You and I will be the same.

Don’t let this fool you. This is not an easy exercise. There’s a very fundamental difference between the two and that is emotion.

Make sure you know what you want to portray in a written message. Do you want to make them feel less or more connected to you, the messenger? Do you want to convey a personal experience? Or do you seek to convey a suggestion or command? Are you trying to be subjective or objective? What is the point of view?

Writing can be tricky, but with the right idea/s in mind, and a little bit of help, it should be fine.

Think about the kind of material that you usually read. Make note of how this makes you feel, what it makes you think about, and the overall reading experience.

The use of a particular pronoun will usually show a writer’s personality, and can be a window to their soul too.