The Art of Conversation

Over the years, I do believe I have grown as a communicator.

When we are young, we shout out our omnipotence to anyone within range. I think, mostly, simply because we can shout. Certainly NOT because we know everything!

As we age into adulthood, we realize that we actually have to communicate with people. We cannot just force our words into their ears. If we do not take the time to listen, or take the time to properly and carefully choose our words, folks will tune us out as easily as they do the fluff pieces in the news.

When we have children, they truly teach us to pay attention. Those little voices don't always know quite how to express their thoughts so not only do we have to focus, but we have to learn to decipher what it means. It's a wonderful experience.

I wish more folks would take the time to truly listen. My mom used to say, "You have two ears and one mouth. Think about it!" Of course, she is my favorite quoter, but I do believe this quote, from Stephen Covey, truly drives the point home.

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand;
they listen with the intent to reply."

This phrase completely encompasses today's society. You can have your own opinion, but if it does not correlate with the person you're talking to, they seem to only talk louder and you have lost track of everything they've said because you want to jump in and rebuke it all. What happened to talking to one another? What happened to being interested in one another? What happened to caring about one another?

With the threat of having funding cut to the arts, let's revive one that really doesn't cost anything . . .

The Art of Conversation.