I know there are people who don’t like talking about the weather. They consider it shallow, trivial, a waste of time. But I will talk about the weather any day.
Why? Because two (or more) people are actually talking about something. And that’s where true communication starts: by talking about something. Starting out with the deep stuff can be threatening, so we start our talking about the weather, or something else seemingly simple. I sometimes get to know new people by talking to their dog first. If you pass the sniff test that opens a lot of doors with humans.
Once you begin talking, you might start talking about more than the weather. Before you know it relationships might begin to develop.
So next time someone greets you with a comment about the weather don’t ignore them, groan or give a slight wave. Start talking. There’s no telling where that cloudy conversation might take you.
“Don’t knock the weather: nine-tenths of the people couldn’t start a conversation if it didn’t change once in a while.”
– Kin Hubbard
I love this quote! I know there are people who think talking about the weather is trivial, trite and superficial. But I see talking about the weather as a door opener. It gets people talking about something. Talking about the weather might lead to “how are you doing?” After awhile of “fine” you might get an answer that goes a little deeper like “I’ve been sick.” Or maybe something like, “I’m so happy right now, my kids are coming to visit.” Both lead to conversation that lets you get to know the person a little better. It may take years to get to a deeper level, but building relationships takes time.
So go out there and start talking about the weather. You might be surprised where it leads you.
