Our discussion roams from here to there but always comes back to our common interest: putting words on the page. She has her perspectives and I have mine; we can’t always agree yet we don’t often argue. It could be fun to argue – in that way that isn’t actually about aggression, just a sort of determination and challenge – but instead we analyze and compare and try to derive a theory, which gives a more quiet satisfaction.

A lot of it is forgettable, yet that’s not the point.

Those late nights are about the high of sharing your thoughts and ideas with someone who gets it, someone who empathizes. It’s like an injection to the system that says “yes, you can” and “yes, I will.” It’s the reasons why friends, clubs, meetings, groups, and classes that match your interest are fantastic for the creative juices.

Birds of a feather flock together. In fact, I think they feed off each other – whether it’s arms out and shouting about their passions or hunched over in a quiet discussion. Introverted or extroverted, there’s still an excitement that wants to be shared. In fact, it grows the more it’s expressed.

I’m not saying a different perspective isn’t a good thing; it’s a great thing and very grounding. However, it’s fun to take off with a bird of my own feather and just fly around. It’s worth the effort to find people who match you so well. Sharing interests with friends can lead to more than conversation: ideas get sparked and enthusiasm is nourished.

I love the all-night talk. Drown that tea till another pot needs making, and then make another. I suggest Earl Grey with a bit of milk, no sugar. A cookie on the side wouldn’t hurt either.

In The Fray Contributor