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slightly bigger decision like ‘Should I study Science or Arts after class ten’? Whatever itis, if you learn to think for yourself now, it will help you when you grow up. At that timeyou have to take bigger decisions: what career to follow, whom to marry, what work todo for the country and so on. It is good to learn the art of thinking for oneself when one isyoung; otherwise we may all lead unthinking lives, always influenced by other people,which may not be a good thing after all.What do you think? Will you exercise your brains right now and find out the answer tothese questions?7. The Art of ConversationConversation is a great art well worth understanding. My friend, Kalyani, has a fundof information about things around us, about flowers and birds, about cities and villages,about pollution and environment, about yoga and herbal medicine, about literature andreligion, theatre and music and about so many other things. She takes a keen interest inlife. She is alive and aware. It is an education conversing with her for she shares withfervour, the knowledge of things she has learnt over the years, through observation andexperience, and enjoys talking to people.Then there is my friend Daniel, who is not so well informed about subjects likescience or history but has travelled widely and has done a lot of mountaineering andhiking in the hills. The tales he relates of his adventures are a pleasure to listen to. Hespeaks with an enthusiasm which is infectious and he does not monopolise theconversation as some people do. He will draw you in, by asking you little questions aboutyour own experiences. As a result you never feel tired listening to him, for both of youare partaking of a dialogue. Begum Khatoon is of a different kind. Shy and diffident. Shespeaks slowly, gently and her conversation has a lasting effect on you because she isstraight and simple and speaks of things that go to the heart. She will ask you how youfeel and what you like most and will talk about the little things that give her joy. It is sotrue, isn’t it, that you feel comfortable and at ease when you are in conversation withgentle people who are not pushing their personalities on to you?Another type is Uncle Mohan and his companions. They are always talkingvehemently against something or the other they have read in the current newspapers ormagazines; condemning somebody, agreeing with one item, disagreeing with another.They have several opinions about the government, about industry and trade, about textilesand handloom, about America and Russia and so on. They go on and on and no one paysattention to the other. Sometimes it starts well but soon deteriorates into a heateddiscussion, with everyone present taking sides on the issue, or pressing his point of viewalone. So it often resembles the confused jumble of sounds we hear when our radios arenot tuned on correctly. There can be very little communication, is it not, if each one hasand expresses strong opinions? So tired is Auntie Shanti of these loud discussions in theirhome that she turns a deaf ear to them and busies herself in one corner with her knitting.It all seems so different from her own girlhood home, where everyone conversed quietlyand visitors brought a tot of cheer with them. Have you noticed another thing? People arequite often very respectful and even show deference in their speech and behaviour withtheir superiors and yet are very rude and inconsiderate in speech and conduct with theirsubordinates?