Friday, November 16, 2012

Communication is the Key

We all know relationships can be very difficult. Even with people we are close to and get along with, still, we can get our feelings hurt, take something the wrong way, or jump to conclusions. The holidays are almost upon us. Did you get the invitation you expected? Did you forget to return a phone call, thereby hurting someone else's feelings? Did your brother (or sister, parent, best friend, etc.) really mean what they said? Or did you just take it wrong?

I am one of those people who suffers from hoof and mouth disease. Writing is easy (easier, anyway) because I can think about what I want to say and how it will come across to the hearer. In conversation I don't have that luxury and things often don't come out of  my mouth they way I intend them. I am a professional apologizer.

My three oldest grandchildren live in Tennessee. They have full lives, and apart from birthdays and holidays, probably don't think much about distant grandparents. Their mom has her hands full just keeping up with them and the home business. I don't hear from her nearly as often as I would like and it's easy for me to think that she just doesn't care about my feelings, or that she's upset with me about something, or a dozen other negative things. The truth is, she's probably extremely busy and doesn't have the energy to think about the grandparents several states away. So I'm swallowing my negativity and will send a nice letter and Thanksgiving card to the family. Maybe I'll hear back. It's worth a try and better than writing something that will upset her. What do you think? Leave me a comment.

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