What is it about making eye contact that is so fundamental to hearing the words of another? Why do we need to look into the eyes of the person we are talking to to be understood, to know without doubt that what you are saying is being heard?
From my own experience it is not possible for me to feel that I have expressed myself completely unless eye contact is being made. I need to see that the girl in class with me understands that I care what her day has been like, that my mentor feels the frustration I have with the way my life is unfolding at that moment, that my friend I’m sharing dinner with is being blessed by the fellowship we share. I enjoy all of these exchanges, but if there is not consistent contact between the windows-to-the-soul, I feel as though the relationship is suffering.
I recognize that maybe its just me, that I may be blowing things out of proportion, but I truly believe that without eye contact we miss out on a level of communication that we need to have healthy and deep relations with others. After all, didn’t so many of us growing up get sternly told, “look at me when I’m talking to you!”?
If looking into each other’s irises does so much for us, then I wonder, what does it mean when people don’t make eye contact? What statement are they making, intended or otherwise? Should it be taken personally? Should I say something about it?
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