Communication

I think I communicate better today that I did 40+ years ago. Communication happens when both sides of the communication have a meeting of the minds. Communication does not happen if only one is talking. Have you ever tried to talk to someone and you start to tell a story and they interrupt and tell you a story of theirs and you wait until they are done and then continue with your story. Sometimes it is frustrating. I have caught myself doing just that. Do you ask the other person questions, do you listen perhaps as much as you talk? I have caught myself interrupting the other person to say something I wanted to say. 40 + years ago I had a hard time speaking up. I would hold things in until I was ready to explode. Can you communicate by telling your need without condemning the other person? I had a person a while back call me about something I said. They misunderstood what I said.
Sometimes if you look a word up in the dictionary, you will find more than one meaning of the word.  In this situation, the person took the first definition and didn't read any further. This person also didn't allow any explanation. No, this is what you said and I am hurt. There was no communication that day or since. It is sad. This is a pattern in that persons life. Almost any person they talk to, it is one sided. I have wondered, how is that working? In a relationship, male / female, I can guarantee, the other person wants to be heard. If they are not heard over and over again, I expect the relationship doesn't last and they both go away hurt.  There was no communication. If we could just learn to listen as much as we talk. Do you ask questions? If you misunderstand, do you ask for clarification? Or do you just assume that the first words in the dictionary are always the ones that apply. What is the purpose of the 2nd and 3rd definitions given, if they never apply?  Why do they waste paper and ink to write them if the only definition that works is the first one? Have you ever noticed in our society how many times the same words used in different situations mean different things? Especially if you include the slang of the day.  Or opposite words meaning almost the same. What is a person saying when they say that is a cool car? Or that car is hot? I heard someone say one time, tell me like I am a four year old. Do you ever watch a person facial expressions when talking, and sometimes you will know immediately, that didn't go the way it was intended. Misunderstanding, they took the words you said and had a whole different meaning than what you thought you said. It happens, Or I have seen it happen with me, the words that came out of my mouth said the opposite of what I was trying to say. Communication is two ways, speaking and listening until there is a meeting of the minds.  God bless, LVZ.