One Contradiction After Another

If you look at what I will loosely call most any normal person and the life they lead, it is a wonder that we all do not concede that we are all simply "crazy." I say that based on the vast number of contradictions in our persona and the choices we make most every day. Let me rattle off a few examples: We crave the freedom to live our lives any way we want yet take comfort in the rules and law that give our behavior boundaries; We love comedies that strike our funny bone, yet also enjoy serious dramas that capture our attention; We focus so much on sexual intimacy yet, the older we get, the more we would so much rather just get a good night's sleep; We want our lawns to look well-manicured yet time after time when we tackle yard work chores like cutting the grass and pulling weeds we zip through them as quickly as possible. The list goes on and on and is as diverse as diverse can be. You may ask, What about communication? Well, my friends, do not get me started.   

The biggest contradiction regarding communicating with others is found in the whole putting forth messages versus listening to responses such effort triggers. For myself, when I speak I want to be heard. I want what I have to say to resonate and result in a favorable response from those on the receiving end. But for that to happen, then I need to be open to what those persons to whom I am  speaking have to communicate back to me. For instance, do they have any questions? Do they have their own perspectives that they want to share? Do they simply want to give me a verbal "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" to my initial comments? The dicey thing about communication is that it is more than simply speaking out. For it to really work the best, equal time and effort must be given to being mindful of feedback and/or response. And once that begins, who knows where will follow? No doubt more complications. Let's be honest: communication is like life itself: one contradictory act after another.