Communication is the key

To communicate: the successful conveying or sharing of ideas and feelings.

Okay so, verbal communicating is not my strong suit. I’m much better at writing than talking about what’s going on upstairs (sometimes considered a rough neighborhood and should be entered with extreme caution).

Of course I cannot chronically write, throwing notes at people all day and I cannot stay silent……..indefinitely anyway.  I must communicate via talk and the fundamental importance of this form of connecting was brought to my attention in a big way while spending time with my 3 year old grandson.

He wanted something to eat and was trying to tell me with his limited ability to pronounce some words correctly. For a minute there, we were having a heck of a time.

“You want an apple?”

Rapidly shaking his head, “NO!” (he had that word down.) Tratker.”

“Ummmm….a cookie?” (Silly grandma)

He was insistent, “Tratker!”

“Well I know you don’t want to eat a tractor!”

He actually smirked at me.

“Ok I’m sorry baby,” I said as I escorted him into the kitchen where he single-handedly swung open the cabinet door, pointed to the top shelf and looked at me as if I was the one with the problem.

“Ohhhh,” I looked down at him and smiled. “Cracker!”

“Tratker!” he clasped together his sweet little hands in triumphant victory.

And what a victory it was! Finally, after all the confusion and mystery, we made the connection.

I felt it through my entire being and it appeared he did too. We were both then satisfied and happy that our efforts and willingness to hang in there with each other paid off.

Maybe the innocence of this situation is what really awakened me to our primal need of not only understanding but of being understood. I can tell you we both had somewhat of a wall between us during our confusion but once we connected – we were in love again 🙂

BONUS: He got to eat his tratker.

Whatever the situation – in life – conversations have to be had. Most of the time more than one conversation has to be had (ugh). A lot of the time the same topics have to be talked about again and again (ugh ugh).

Whether addressing an issue in a friendship, expressing my feelings to my spouse (heads up honey) or my grandchild looking for a tasty cracker, it seems it still remains; communication is the key.