Please keep those conversations going

Staying connected to fellow human beings has been crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic.

And even though some sense of normalcy has returned, most of us continue to take precautions as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and limit our social interactions to a select few.

That is why it is so vital that we continue the conversations that are key to our emotional and physical well-being.

During the March 23 public memorial tribute to “Hot Springs’ best friend,” Clay Farrar, his daughter, Lara, and other community leaders shared exchanges they had enjoyed with him over any number of years. Their recollections prompted me to consider just how valuable one-on-one chats can be, even with mere acquaintances or total strangers.

Not long after February’s “Big Freeze,” I found myself sitting in a local pharmacy waiting for the druggist to return from a daily lunch break. A gentleman sitting several feet away was the only other person there. I made some comment about the recent wintry weather and he soon added his thoughts on the subject.

For at least five minutes, we engaged in a back-and-forth discourse about the havoc extremely cold temperatures can wreak on people and utilities. I can only speak for myself when I say the conversant cordiality of this individual lifted my spirits.

There are other moments when I try to go beyond the usual “Please” and “Thank-you” with a service or business representative to recommend a good book, remark briefly on a funny experience, or inquire about the new family pet. Again, being conversational, even if for such a limited time, can make a positive difference for all involved parties.

During the March NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, my daily conversations took the form of calls and texts about a favorite team’s upset win or loss, a coach’s or player’s antics, my personal assessment of the particular broadcast team. Sports are always a great diversion from real-life concerns and being able to opine about them with folks of like minds is always interesting.

Every week, I look forward to a give-and-take with another senior citizen who enjoys the TV Guide crossword puzzle. Some of these posers are quite easily solved but other can be quite problematic. Nonetheless, we get together via telephone and ultimately fill in all the blanks. She and I both try not to Google the answers and hope our knowledge of this entertainment medium will carry the day. But, now and again, we relent and give in to the gurus. In any case, this is always an enjoyable banter between two good friends.

Without doubt, the past months — and yes, the here and now — have given us much to consider. Personally speaking, it helps to converse about the issues of the day, even if only via a computer or other electronic device.

Fortunately for me, there are a number of individuals who seldom go more than a day without just checking in on me and finding the time to communicate on a wide range of current events. What would any of us do without these friends and neighbors to offer their solicitations and ideas or to evoke a laugh or two? Now more than ever, conversations matter.

Let’s keep them going.