Communication In The Family-Part 2
Today communication is a multimillion-dollar business. The
advances men have made in the technical field of communication
is indeed staggering, to say the least. For example, fiber-optic
cables, that can carry tens of thousands of phone conversations
at one time. Then there are communication satellites, which
relay thousands of pieces of information in seconds.
But in spite of all these means of communication, there is no
limit to the misery in the world because of a lack of
communication between individuals. Is there any surprise then
that we are faced with what has been called a ever growing"
generation gap?" A lack of communication between parents and
their offspring, and sadly between parents themselves. Marriage
counselors report that the biggest problem in marriages is a
failure of communication between husband and wife. To keep the
lines of communication open, it is the obligation of each to
listen to what the other is saying, and to notice what has been
left unsaid. This can only be done if we give our full attention
to the one speaking. Sometimes we are so occupied with
formulating what our response will be, that we fail to recognize
the emotional content, and the way something is said. As
husbands we need to recognize this is a common shortcoming we
share. Wives often suffer because husbands fail to listen.
However wives for their part also need to listen closely, so as
not to jump to wrong conclusions.
As we grow older this places an added burden on our open
communication. We face many changes with age. Physical weakness
drains our energy and vigor. Every time we pass a mirror we are
reminded we are getting older. Sadly our memory is not as sharp
as it was. If we are not careful we can easily become depressed.
All or any of the above can affect our communication with our
loved ones. Realizing this should encourage each one to work
that much harder at keeping the lines of communication open,
honest and reasonable. The more we fail to communicate the
larger our problems seem to get. In five minutes of
communicating you can solve more problems then five minutes of
avoiding one another. Take the time, and in many cases make the
time and master the art of communication.
Remember, good communication is an art. Why not become a good
artist?