Eye Contact

Apparently, people notice things like eye contact, gestures, and body language. I know I do. You can really tell if someone is listening to you and enjoying the conversation via these non-verbal indicators.

I was brought to this thought the other night when I was talking with an acquaintance and all the while his eyes are darting everywhere. He is looking at people entering and exiting the room, looking at his bag, the walls, focusing on anything and everything that is not me. I was annoyed. I'm thinking "Man, this guy really does not want to talk to me".

Now, my confession: I am terrible at making eye contact with people. It is really difficult for me. It has been a serious problem for me my whole life and I don't know why. Perhaps I am worried that the person I am talking to will see too deep into my brain, or I theirs. Perhaps, I am worried that my soul will escape through my eyes, or that I might suck someone else's soul out through their eyes. Or maybe it's just harder for me to listen to what someone is saying if I am "lost in their eyes"...like, I need a task or something to focus on so I can fully contemplate and process the thing to which I am listening.
Despite the root of the problem, I would like to look more into people's eyes. Yes it is terrifying and somehow feels as though you are seeing them naked, but maybe we all need to see each other naked more often.