Conversations Are A Two Lane Road

Conversations are a two lane road. You encounter thoughts coming at you and you expel your own thoughts by way of words and sentences. Unfortunately, lately it seems that conversations are expected to be a one-way street. We want to share our thoughts and get our points across, but we aren’t open to listening to the thoughts of the other participants in these conversations.

Society has grown more self-focused. In some ways, this may be a good thing. We are more aware of taking care of our personal needs instead of pushing our individual care to a back burner. However, there is less rein on the narcissistic characteristics that we all have a chance of acquiring.

How much is too much? Where do we draw the line? I notice it more in conversations these days. When we are talking with others we want them to know that we understand and can sympathize with their situation. But, lately that has been more often conveyed by sharing an experience that one-ups the situation of the original speaker. The “tone” of the “me too” has changed. We have gone from “I hear you sister” to “Me too, and mine was worse/better”.

There are some people who are hard to talk to because they don’t give you a chance to speak. Words rush out of their mouths, but when it’s your turn to speak, they hurry and change the topic and cut you off before you can reply. I’ve found that these people often need to eat a piece of humble pie.

And then there are those who are hard to have conversations with because they don’t know what to talk about. You find yourself dragging every word out of them. I wonder if these people have self-esteem issues and are afraid to speak their mind.

Conversations are so very important and so seldom done right. If only we would learn to communicate respectfully with each other, so many problems would solve themselves. Of course, we aren’t always going to agree with each other. The world would be boring if we always agreed with everything.

But, if we actually listened to each other with an open mind, considered what each other said and shared our own thoughts knowing it would be openly received, most of the problems we have now would likely disappear. Open communication is a huge key to working together.

We are all human beings and we need to start working together. As a team. Respect for each other is key.

What totally baffles me is why it’s so hard for everyone to see that it has to start with each of us individually. We have to be that change we want to see. We have to be willing to be the first to say “I’m sorry” or “I’ll listen” or “What can I do to help you today?”

Each of us has to take the first step to better communication and better conversations. And for many of us that first step is to shut up and listen .