Miss Communication

Communication is, really, the most important tool we have at our disposal. Proper and thorough communication, in my opinion, would lessen almost all of the world’s ills.

Get that look off your face. I’m serious.

The simplest things can be blown completely out of proportion when we don’t communicate well. Accidents happen when people don’t communicate their intention through proper use of turn signals. Feelings are hurt from misinterpreted comments. Ailments go untreated when the patient can’t describe their symptoms or the physician doesn’t take the time to listen. E-mail, one of my favorite modes of communication, often leads to misread intentions because you can’t see or hear the entire message from reading words on the screen. Or, sometimes, communication can be completely misinterpreted or ignored.

Years ago, one of my roommates picked on me because I always informed her when I was going out, where I was going and how long I was going to be gone. This, to me, was a common courtesy in case she or someone else wanted or need to know where I was. She, apparently, was annoyed and made the comment that she wasn’t my mother. Not only did she hurt my feelings by negating my efforts to communicate with her but she also missed a chance to share in the effort.

Something that goes along with communication, or the occasional miscommunication, is forgiveness. Okay, sure, somewhere along the line someone got something wrong or forgot to tell someone something but that doesn’t mean we need to hold a grudge about it. It’s come. It’s gone. It’s time to move on. Hard feelings aren’t going to make communication in the future any easier. If you really have an issue, communicate with the appropriate individual so you can move on with your relationship.

Ouf.

And that, my friends, was the sound of me falling off my soap box. Considering the multiple disagreements I’ve had with gravity lately, maybe I shouldn’t stand so high off the ground.