“Momma, You Don’t Talk Much”

…I can’t decide if that was a compliment or not coming from my 14 year old.
We were recently at a church event. While my wonderful husband was off talking to someone else, I was standing around with three of my other children; one of them being my 14 y/o.
There were a few ladies that came up to me and made small talk, but nothing more than that. Then they were off chasing their own children. That’s when I heard, “Momma, you don’t talk very much.” I said, “I don’t have much to talk about and besides, those ladies don’t have the time to stand around and chit-chat right now.”
Later last night I was thinking about that exchange and wondered why I don’t talk much. I’m really content in being an observer and if/when I do have an opinion or something important to say or add, then by all means I say it.
Then I wondered…”Am I invisible to most people since I don’t talk much?” and “How do I improve my conversation skills (or first get some skills)?” Yes, I know that those are two extremely different thoughts, but that’s the way my mind works.
I then remembered that I do have skills that I haven’t exercised in a long time. One thing that I remembered about relating and talking with others, is that the number one thing that people like to talk about is themselves. With that, I have to become sincere and genuine in wanting to listen to people talk about themselves. To remember the things that they say so that I can follow-up with them the next time I see them.
Yes, this is what I want…to make friends. That’s what it all boils down to for me. I don’t always have to be interesting because that would exhaust me, but I do want to be interested — in others. And you know; I still won’t talk very much.