Would You Please Shut Up?

I am going to speak with mass generalizations here, so forgive me if I offend anyone.

Most men would probably agree that women speak too much. Whereas most women would agree that men don't speak enough. Case in point, my man plays this fun "game" where he counts the number of seconds between my bursts of speech (especially when we are out to dinner) to measure just how comfortable I am with silence. You see, he grew up in a home with a lot less communication than mine, and he enjoys silence. I, on the other hand, think that silence is creepy and for deaf people.

Two nights ago, one of my closest friends called me, quite upset that there is often silence in her home with her new husband. I eased her concerns by sharing my personal situation. I told her that most women speak more than men, and it is a gift we were given.

However, it was last night when the differences between men and women crystallized. I had the greatest epiphany in my 32 years.

You see, women speak because they think that everything they say is important. Men, unfortunately, know how to differentiate between what is important and what is not, thus speaking less. (And clearly not having that many important things to say.)

: )