The Whole Orange

"If I do not speak in a language that can be understood there is little chance for a dialogue." ~Bell Hooks

***
Two ladies found themselves quarreling over an orange. They both protested they needed it more than the other. Both were convinced they had there hands on the orange first and intended to buy before the other. Refusing to give in to the other, they eventually agreed to split the orange in half. The first lady ate the fruit and threw the peel away. The second lady used the peel in a recipe and tossed the fruit away. Both ladies could have got what they wanted (the whole orange), if they would have effectively communicated.

Are you getting only half of the orange because you are not communicating effectively? Miscommunication leads to misunderstanding. Misunderstandings can cause a fight, divorce and even war. Never assume that another person knows how you feel or what you are thinking. You are not being fair to yourself or another if you are not speaking what you think and feel. You are not being true to yourself and you are misrepresenting yourself to someone else. A word of caution, just as the “Good Book” tells us there is a time for everything, there is a time and a place to tell someone how you think and feel. A good communicator not only knows the time and the place, but waits for the appropriate time and place to deliver the message. In addition, a skilled communicator will deliver a message in terms that the recipient will understand, not in terms that is understood only by the sender.

Today, commit to becoming a better communicator: read a book on communication, attend a seminar, or observe others who are good communicators. When you learn how to effectively communicate your wants, needs, dreams and desires, you are that much closer to getting “the whole orange.”

It’s your life: live it, love it & celebrate it
MJD