Do you ever notice how little people pay attention to what you are saying at the times when you are really feeling it?

It seems like the people in my world, at no fault of their own, always latch on to the parts of my life that I only sometimes care about- say, my love life or my job, and often fail to ask about the things that deeply occupy my mind, like the prospects of living a life that feels right, or the essay I just wrote that I think might be pretty good.

These muted reactions can make me tempted to stop talking about what's really on my mind in order to be more entertaining or amusing. At times there is a formula to social interactions, even when I am around those closest to me.

I am lucky enough to have friends who can handle depth, but I am cursed with friends who like a good story? I mean, who doesn’t?

Some people say that is what a long term romantic partner is for; they are committed to listening to whatever you choose to talk about. There is a point, though, where that concept loses its grip. Sooner or later you might notice that they always look at their phones when you are telling them about your day, or that a zoned out look appears on their face, which really makes it seem like they are only pretending to listen, while actually existing somewhere else completely.

There might not be anything a person can do to become fascinating even in their dullest, and most long winded, moments. Maybe we just have to learn not to be bothered by the blank look, but instead flattered that someone cares enough to feign presence.

There are times when it is up to us to be the one who cares, and that’s okay.

I took this black and white film photo while on a picnic with one of my best friends. In fact, I believe he may have been mid-story when I took a break from it to capture the shifting clouds. There you go. We are so often guilty of the same things that we complain about in other people.

Changing, Faith King, Black and White Film Photograph