Friday, April 6, 2018

Just a Thought


     One day not too long ago I gave my son this long eloquent speech about the need to be more responsible in his life.  He had just turned 15 years and 9 months old and was about to get his temporary permit for driving.  After I had finished what I thought must have been paramount to a Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech, my son looked at me and asked, “Day, what the heck are you talking about?’

     Sometimes we become so concerned about “how” we’re going to say something that we forget “what” it is we’re trying to say!  I know I’ve done that, even when I sit down to write one of my articles. After I’ve put words to paper, I stretch back in my seat, take a deep breath and read what has emerged from my keyboard.  You read over a point and then that little voice inside your head says “What!”  It’s almost as if your fingers have been running across the keyboard at random and not with any of your control over the words that pour across the screen.

     When you’re giving instructions to someone, how often do you have to repeat yourself?  And how often, even after they have convinced you that they know exactly what you said, do you find the job has been done wrong or at least not exactly the way you wanted it?

    The problem is twofold.  First we often have a difficult time in explaining to someone what it is that we really want or what we want done.   We let them guide our requirements.  Does the following conversation sound familiar?  You’ve just taken your “pride and joy” to the printers:

     “I’d like to get this printed in booklet form.”

     “Oh yes,” the printer says looking over your papers.

     “What I’d like ---.”  The printer quickly has analyzed your needs. 

     “This would look great collated, saddle stitched, bound with an attractive vellum cover.”

     “Well, yea, that’s good.”

     Now don’t get me wrong.  I’ve used various printers and I’ve accepted many of the suggestions that have been offered.  But making the final decision has always been left up to me.  My point is we need to express ourselves better.

     The second point is we need to learn to listen better.  Really understand WHAT is being said instead of hastily jumping to the conclusion.  Remember conversation is a two way street.  Maybe the good Lord was trying to tell us something.  We have TWO ears and only ONE mouth.  Maybe we should practice listening TWICE as much as we talk!
QUOTE TO CONSIDER

THOUGHTFUL GEM

"Sometimes the only way to truly 
help someone is to LISTEN to them."





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