Can We Talk?

I never really understood blogs and bloggers until I retired. As a teacher and elementary school principal, I got quite used to talking all day. When I had an idea, I could bounce it off my colleagues, students, or their parents. More than that, my regular emails and newsletters made me think about issues and events, and forced me to articulate what I thought and how I felt about them. Conversation and writing gave me a framework for developing a point of view.

Having now been retired for 10 months, I have a few observations. First, you can’t rely on television and talk show hosts to develop an opinion. They really aren’t my peers, and are certainly not unbiased. They are smart, experienced, and excellent communicators, so they have a place in developing viewpoints, but they are SO LOUD – talking over each other constantly!

Second, no matter how strongly you feel about an issue, there is usually another viewpoint that deserves consideration. Certain values cannot be compromised, so it’s important to identify your core beliefs independent of others. But then we have to really listen to each other.

Third, you never know what a person thinks or feels until you ask them. You can’t visibly see their sorrows and their burdens, so tread carefully when discussing sensitive issues. When I read blogs and posts on Facebook, I am amazed at the people who have violent reactions to strangers’ comments. That’s one of the drawbacks of reading a blog from someone you don’t know – it’s easy to be offended because you don’t know how they intended their comments. Rest assured that my purpose is not to offend.

Finally, why can’t we talk about important things like religion and politics among friends? Why can’t we help each other sort out the issues, consider the consequences, and find ways to live fulfilling lives of joy and meaning? If family and friends are the people closest to us, shouldn’t their opinions be the ones we value the most? In our school, our faculty always talked about being “lifelong learners” and embraced the quest for knowledge. If we respect each others’ viewpoints, can’t we learn together?

Throughout the years, I have seen a growing isolation. I’ll talk more about that in my next blog. Please come back!

Blessings,
Barb