Monday, January 17, 2011

With Words We Create

I know someone who is pretty impulsive and often acts without giving the situation sufficient thought.  In other words, she frequently shoots from the hip.  The idea for the fund raiser seemed really exciting.  We wouldn't have to spend much money and people would be inspired to contribute.  We would get more bang for our buck.  He often acts before he has all the information and goes off half cocked.  I thought she was mocking me so I told her to take her best shot.  It seems like we're all having to bite the bullet in this economy and budget more carefully.  With that idea you really hit the bull's eye.  You have something to say?  Okay.  Fire away.  And then there's feeling like you've been knifed in the back which is another way of saying that you feel betrayed.  Wow!  That really blew up in my face.  I guess I shot myself in the foot with that ploy.  I better reload and try again.
Let's face it.  We speak violently even if we try to live peacefully.  We can't stop speaking.  We'd look ridiculous walking around with duct tape over our mouths and anyway duct taping our mouths shut would be acts of violence against ourselves.
Here's a thought.  Let's try and not take the easy way out when we speak.  Human communication is complicated and fragile at its best.  Let's try and at least be aware of what it is we're trying to say.  It won't be easy.  It's never easy to change especially when our everyday expressions and gestures have seemed so harmless.
So please when you see me next, don't greet me by pointing an index finger with raised thumb at my heart and saying something along the lines of 'Yo.  Got you.' because I will understandably think that behind your smile you are pretending your hand is a gun and you've just shot me.
See how complicated even saying hello can become?

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I heard someone say today that as we become more aware of our language and it;s violent implications, we may also have to eliminate shopping from Target permanently!