I find it kind of funny that while we have all of this technology at our fingertips, we have innate, distinct ways of communicating without words or messages in person. Those are my favorite conversations, the ones that we have no history of learning to understand, but the ones that come to us when we are in the moment, the ones that can’t be screenshotted and shared for others.

It takes form in the classic head nod across a crowd at a concert to see if there is room for you near your friends, this being the simplest action to replace the word “yes” or “no” depending on the direction one chooses to move their head.

A lift of an arm with a hand moving from side to side acknowledging that someone is welcome in your presence, all encompassing a simple “hi.”

The motion of your fist clenching together but leaving your opposable digit sticking straight out to confirm someone’s actions with a easy “good job,” or even better, a different finger more centrally located choosing to be the lone standing digit representing a much harsher phrase.

All of these slight motions communicate nearly universal ideas with other humans, and we even sometimes come across humans we find special enough to teach our own secret unspoken languages to. Those humans and those connections are even more unique in dialect and let that person into another dimension of our beings. We bring them in by sharing more gestures and touches.

For instance, my brow furrows in a way that does not hinder questioning, but intrigues the viewer to think about what they just said to me and to find their own solution. This one is interpreted well by most, but others are heavily reliant on aid to come to that conclusion.

The way my thumb caresses the back of the hand or shoulder it is resting on sends the message of comfort and reminder that “I am here”. This one is reserved for those who need it.

My shoulder leaning into another’s chest followed by a heavy sigh relays the message that, while tired, I am finding comfort in you. I only allow myself to find comfort in those that deem themselves worthy of it being placed in their chest, for my comfort cannot be packed away and taken to help someone else along the road.

My nose crinkles like I am attempting to fold it into my face, but shows an expression of discomfort or disgust. This silent motion is one I rely on heavily considering I am a very opinionated person and it seems all too easy to let someone know what I really don’t like without having to say it harshly by accident.

These simple motions communicate the simplest to most complex ideas that sometimes we cannot explain with real words. I find myself using them day in and day out to speak for me. These movements and motions are how we connect on different planes of the universe. It is one thing to tell someone you love them but it is another to show them in every movement you make. No one taught us how to show someone we appreciate and value them, but we learned from being appreciated and valued in return, we learned from striving to become more than one dimension. These are my favorite conversations.

What are some of yours? Think about those next time you have a silent conversation and think about those when you remember those actions do speak louder than any words you could have chosen to say instead.