Hello? Anyone There?

-

A not-so-silent exploration of what it means to talk, listen, vent, and sometimes just nod.

Epilogue... or maybe the Prologue?

What is communication, really? Is it just giving out information? Or is it talking, conversing, listening... sometimes just hearing? Or maybe it’s not hearing at all, just staring into space while someone rants about office politics or yesterday’s lunch. Is it about expressing your thoughts to unburden yourself? Or, plot twist—is it just being silent?

To hell with definitions. Communication is many things, all at once. And none of them come with subtitles.

1. Information = Communication

A friend helps you pack and move cities. You reach the new place and send a text:

“Thanks. All settled. Will call you leisurely.”

This is the 2020s version of the old-school Indian postcard:

“Illu cheraanu. Ikkada antha kshemam.” (Reached home. All well here.)

The technology changes, but the intention stays the same. Just letting someone know you’re alive, well, and not buried under packing boxes. Communication doesn’t always need drama—sometimes, it’s a sigh of relief.

2. Conversation = Communication

I’ve been married for 7+ years. In that time, I’ve spoken roughly five times more words than my husband. This is not an exaggeration; it’s a conservative estimate. He listens—sometimes just hears (especially when I’m complaining)—and more often plays the devil’s advocate.

And yet, this is our style. Our rhythm. Our version of “we’re talking.” In marriage, communication isn’t always equal in volume. But it balances out in unexpected ways.

3. Emotion = Communication (Even if You Miss It the First Time)

The other day, my 4.5-year-old was visibly upset. His mood was darker than a black crayon. After a few rounds of “You’re bad,” and “I don’t like you,” I finally cracked the code.

Turns out, his younger brother refused to share a toy car. He had told me earlier—but I heard him, not listened. So, he tried again—this time with feelings and foot-stomping. Communication doesn’t always wear a nametag. Sometimes, it screams in pyjamas and throws things.

4. The Silent Treatment = Communication

During my recent job hunt, I applied to 300+ roles. Replies? Fewer than 10%. The rest were practicing a form of Zen I didn’t sign up for, I guess.

Ironically, silence is communication. It says, “We’ve moved on,” “You’re not selected,” or “Your resume was opened at 2:13 PM and forgotten by 2:15.” And just like recruiters expect applicants to “communicate” back, job seekers too, long for a humane closure. Even “no” is a form of respect. Don’t you agree?

5. Only Listening = Communication

Sometimes, we don’t want advice. We want to vent. Blabber. Be irrational. Be heard.

Sudha Murty once wrote about a colleague who used her lunch breaks to simply listen. People flocked to her like birds to a banyan tree—not for wisdom, but for her silence. Her presence. Her ears.

That too, is communication. Listening without fixing. Holding space without holding court.

6. Supportive Silence = Communication

As we grow older, we confide less and expect more. “They should know I’m upset.” But adulthood is busy. And love doesn’t come with mind-reading powers.

That’s why counselling exists. Sometimes, the best communication happens with a professional who doesn’t know your history—but helps you rewrite it. Seeking help is not weakness—it’s smart communication. Self-awareness is a language too.

Conclusion: So, What Is Communication, really?

Communication is not one thing. It’s everything.
It’s a thank-you text. A rant. A nod. A sigh. A tantrum. A silence.
It’s listening without solving, talking without waiting for applause, and sometimes... just being there.

So, the next time someone asks, “What is communication?”—don’t answer right away.
Just listen. Maybe that’s the answer they were looking for.

Comments

  1. BhujagasayanaMay 2, 2025 at 7:25 AM

    Nice one. Many nuances of expression... Well brought out...

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Talk to Me, Not at Me: What Language Can Teach Us

-
A recent incident stayed with me — a bank employee in Karnataka lost her cool when a customer insisted, she speak the local language. Her resistance led to outrage for few groups, and eventually, she had to apologize and promised to learn Kannada. Watching this unfold made me uncomfortable. Not because she refused to speak the language, but because of how aggressively people demanded it. It’s not the first such incident. Social media has many similar stories, where people are compelled (sometimes bullied) to speak the local tongue. I come from a family that deeply respects our mother tongue — every pronunciation is taken seriously. My mother, though Telugu by heritage, studied in Kannada medium in Karnataka, as my grandfather was a tahsildar there. She married my father, who was born and raised in Anantapur and spoke Telugu fluently. He did his master’s at BHU, where college life probably gave him his Hindi. His first bank posting was in the Northeast. When they got married, my mothe...
Read more

More Than a Paycheck: A Woman’s Journey Through Education, Work, and Motherhood

-
Have we ever truly asked ourselves—what does education mean to us? Is it a degree? A paycheck? Or simply the joy of learning? Have you ever laughed at someone who said, “I want to study because I love it”? Have you ever even met such a person? After a high-risk second pregnancy and a 6-month maternity leave, my career hit an unexpected pause last year, and it took me time to find peace with that silence. It wasn’t easy. The hardest part? Accepting the “no-income” status. I applied to various companies, knowing fully well that I might not be able to take up a role if they asked me to come to the office—thanks to long commutes and Bangalore’s infamous traffic (yes, those stories are all true). Eventually, I broke down. The silence from recruiters became unbearable. I stopped the job search and turned to yoga and meditation again, grounding myself in the present rather than constantly mourning what I didn’t have. During that phase, I remember talking to my mother. I was venting abou...
Read more

The Comfort of Not Knowing

-
Frankly, I wasn’t sure how to put this across. It almost felt like a flaw! This need to know the ending before it happens. But then I wondered, what if others do this too? Do they just laugh and move on, or do they ever try to change? Over the weekend, my husband suggested we watch The Glass Onion – A Knives Out Mystery . He’d already seen it the day before and said he didn’t mind watching it again with me. That itself felt like a glowing review. Who watches a suspense movie back-to-back unless it’s very good? So, we started watching. The kids were asleep (which meant the ice cream was entirely ours. No sharing required), and 45 minutes in, we both decided to call it a night. We blamed it on exhaustion. The “tired young parents” excuse. (Not because we’re old!) But here’s where it gets embarrassing. Instead of reading a book before bed, my nightly habit, I ended up reading the movie’s entire plot on Wikipedia. T he entire plot of a suspense movie! The next morning, when I tried wa...
Read more