Sunday, March 19, 2017

THE DEATH OF DIALOGUE

      THE PIT OF SELF – REFERRAL  PS-R

   Or THE DEATH OF DIALOGUE 

     My friend is trying to dialogue with me. She mentions that she has been plagued by migraine headaches this past week. I fall headlong into the P-SR by responding, “I’ve had a strange headache all week, too. It is in the back of my head and won’t go away!”

THE DEATH OF DIALOGUE!

     Another friend calls, complaining of the behavior of her teen-age son, saying how concerned she is about him and the friends he has chosen. I fall again into the P-SR by saying: “I know how that is. I’ve had a lifetime of that concern with my grand-daughter. I wonder when she will ever grow up!”

THE DEATH OF DIALOGUE!

  My friend and I are both in the pit, she, unheard, unconsoled; I selfish and self-concerned.

    How can dialogue be saved from such an awful death?  I propose to myself four little words. In fact I have them written on a card on the table near my phone: “Tell me about it.” 

     If I can get out of my selfishness long enough to keep quiet, with occasional Hmm’s and Uh huh’s and Oh my’s,  I might catch myself learning to listen. Both my friend and I might taste the joy of dialogue: she - heard and consoled; I -amazed at my quiet response.


   “Tell me about it.”   

1 comment:

  1. Hello Jane. I am Sherron Christiansen. Yes, I am connected to Patsy, Christy, and Chris. Patsy and I have been friends since 3rd grade. Patsy sent me your blog contact. I got to this one and just had to comment as to how many times I have just shut up because there was no where else to go. I am usually stopped mid-stream, so I just go speachless and listen. I wish more people could read this. I believe I would hope it would hit them in the head like a V-8. Thank you. I hope to keep reading your blog.

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