Many people like to talk. I am an exception. I can never find myself deep in any conversation. Perhaps people find it boring or difficult to get ME deep in conversation. It can be difficult for me to admit I do not have an answer especially in front of strangers. I too fear saying a lot of dumb things because I do not think before I speak.

You may think that because I don't like to talk, I enjoy the company of people who talks non-stop. Ironically, I never like anyone who hogs a conversation, pretending he is the wise man preaching and selling his old wives tales. No matter how engaging he is at first, how attention grabbing he may appear, the smiles and nods quickly turn into blank faces and efforts to keep one from yawning or nodding off. This is especially familiar in a long presentation or speech even when the speaker is well-known as an interesting and knowledgeable person and he speaks in style.

It is understandable for a knowledgeable person to want to continue talking as at times, it is difficult to brake when you are bursting with information. The point is that droning on about yourself does not make a meaningful conversation. The dynamics is lost especially if it is a one way traffic, and this is no different from talking to a wall.

People are natural beings who like to share, especially when it is sharing their own experiences and interests. But, unless you are the designated speaker, which is often not the case in any conversation, other people in the conversation group too like to share their own experiences. They like people to listen to them too. A conversation has to be a two-way traffic.

So what happens if you are being asked a question and you are dumbfounded? I will just keep quiet or taking the easy way out and say "I don't know". There is nothing wrong with keeping quiet. Even an encylopedia does not have the answer to all questions.

What if I have said something hurtful and harmful unwittingly? It is no excuse to many who may take offence and think that I have done it intentionally for selfish reasons. The only thing I can do is to apologize, but an apology does not change the fact that I have said it. So, it is best to keep quiet. We will never regret the times when we had nothing to say and just keep quiet.

It is good to be mindful and being aware if you often interrupt someone with your views on the topic. Are you one who keep rambling on without allowing others to contribute his fair share? Do you engage in a conversation or do you simply talk?

The next time when you are in a conversation with someone or a group of people, try to converse more instead of just talking. As someone once put it, "Merely talking is about as far from communicating as merely not talking is from actually listening".