Silences
From Doctor Watson, regarding Sherlock Holmes, in "The Yellow Face" by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle:
"For two hours we rambled about together, in silence for the most part, as befits two men who know each other intimately."
I think too often people are quick to dismiss silences between two (or more) people as "awkward" by default, when really they need be/are anything but. I have always considered the ability to enjoy someone's company silently as something to cherish. There doesn't always have to be noise or distraction or conversation or whatever.
At the same time I don't necessarily think that seemingly trivial conversation topics (the weather perhaps being the best example) are always contrived as last-resort "small-talk" or the like. With most or all people whose company I enjoy, I'd be happy to have a ten-second conversation about the weather and then spend the rest of the day in silence. Some of these same people might think of this as awkward, but I just think it's...comforting.
"For two hours we rambled about together, in silence for the most part, as befits two men who know each other intimately."
I think too often people are quick to dismiss silences between two (or more) people as "awkward" by default, when really they need be/are anything but. I have always considered the ability to enjoy someone's company silently as something to cherish. There doesn't always have to be noise or distraction or conversation or whatever.
At the same time I don't necessarily think that seemingly trivial conversation topics (the weather perhaps being the best example) are always contrived as last-resort "small-talk" or the like. With most or all people whose company I enjoy, I'd be happy to have a ten-second conversation about the weather and then spend the rest of the day in silence. Some of these same people might think of this as awkward, but I just think it's...comforting.