Pondering

Communication ... something that everyone takes for granted, but is the most difficult to accomplish.  Whether using phone, e-mail, Face Book or writing a letter, your wording has to take into account not only what you want to say, but how the recipient is going to hear or read it.  I can say one thing and you may hear something else because your life experience has led you to hear and believe in different ways then me.  So how is it we communicate so much and so well without getting into confrontations or disagreements? Well, we don't.  In fact many disagreements are caused by misinterpreting what someone has said.


I think we develop a filter in our mind that takes into account who is saying something or, if you are actually hearing them speak, how they are saying it.  If I know the person well enough, I can probably interpret what they are saying in exactly the way they are meaning it ... so that is a key.  You will choose your words differently for someone who knows you than you would for someone who is just an acquaintance or a co-worker.  I know this all sounds like rambling confusion, but communication is complicated ... this is a simplistic discussion that only scratches the surface.  The truth is that our brains do most of the sorting and picking of words without our even being aware of having made a choice.  It's that wonderful, ever present subconscious that keeps you in the communication game.


Means of communication is ever changing, and the generation that grows up with the new technologies, will be most successful at using them. They won't, however, have an advantage over the basic means of communication that takes place in your head.   You learn your communication skills throughout your entire life by experience and teaching.   There are courses that teach all different means of communication, but you own the ability to use it.  So think about how blessed we are to be able to accomplish most of what we set out to do by being able to communicate ... It is a gift which we should cherish.  Our success in life may vary based on how well we are able to hone our communication skills.    Food for thought ... 

Now let me tell you about a whole new level of communication I have become familiar with.  This happens when two people have lived together for so long that they can  communicate with highly abbreviated sentences.  It goes like this ... "Remember, what's his name?  He's is going to ... Oh you know the place?" Now, most people wouldn't call that communicating, but my husband would know exactly who what's his name is and  exactly where he is going  just by the context of the conversation.  Pretty spooky, huh?  And that goes for most of the conversations that go on in my house.  It is compensation for the "Old Poop Memory malfunction syndrome" .  So there you are, just when you think you know everything there is to know about communication, you find a new method.  Life is good that way.