Meaningful Small Talk

It’s common knowledge that most people hate small talk, but for some reason, as humans, we find ourselves doing it a lot more than we’d like to mention. At the grocery store waiting in line, after church, on the subway, and many more public places. It’s like there is some sort of unspoken rule about starting up a courtesy conversation with the people around you when you’re in public, especially if you’re waiting somewhere.

Well, I have found small talk to be quite meaningful at times, especially this past week on two occasions.

The first one was in the pediatrician’s office this past Friday. As I sat there for my daughter’s 4 week/ month old check-up, a lady and her friend walked in with a brand new little newborn baby. She had just given birth to him the previous Thursday and he was so tiny! Our small talk started when she asked about my Moby wrap I had on. I told her a friend had given it to me and where she could buy one.

Then something happened. It was small, but it meant a lot to me.

I asked her how much her baby weighed at birth and she said he was 6 pounds, just like my daughter was. As we continued talking I began to think back to how I was in her same spot not to long ago and I became thankful for where I am now. I know it seems really weird because it was only a little less than a month ago, but as I saw the way she was sitting (obviously still sore from giving birth), and the way she talked about having a new baby, made me feel a little less alone and overwhelmed by motherhood. This woman had no idea but she had just encouraged me so much just by being there and sharing a little bit of her birth experience with me.

The other meaningful small talk experience was one that I had with a good friend of mine who has two children. I don’t know if small talk counts when it’s with a friend but it felt like it to me!  We had our usual “how are you doing” questions and answers, and then she began to tell me some of her frustrations that week with her 10-month-old. How she is having a hard time with him since he is teething and fussy all while being weaned of breastfeeding. Here is where I was encouraged. Again, it may seem like nothing, but listening to a mom of two, who I consider to be a very strong woman and mother, talk about feeling overwhelmed and frustrated with normal mom/baby things made me feel just like the other lady made me feel, a little less alone and a little less overwhelmed by motherhood. She may not have realized it but I was encouraged to see her be honest and transparent with the difficulties of weaning off her 10-month-old who also happens to be teething!

I’ll leave you with this:

-God uses small moments like these to let us know we are not alone. He continually reminds me of that in ways like these and others. The best part about it is that He daily offers His grace to me when I need it because He understands parenting more than anyone. Don’t despise the small talk, you never know what it could do for someone.-

#Friends #Motherhood #Smalltalk