Conversations with my father




For many years, my pop was a man of few words. I didn't know much about him beyond what someone else said...or what I observed.

We never talked much early on. I just saw him as a disciplinarian, basketball enthusiast, hard worker and a bit of a stranger. We didn't live together until I entered my second semester of kindergarten. (Want the back story? Read it in the book.)

Our conversations used to be limited to sports, church and what I should/should not be doing. 

Nowadays, the head bumping we experienced in my youth has dissapated. We still disagree about a few things, but we sit and talk about them with mutual respect and no yelling LOL. 

One day, not too long ago, we had a conversation that blew my mind. After years of believing that he just didn't get me, and telling myself that explained why we didn't talk much, I realized the dude was very observant. 

In the midst of levying one of my complaints, Pop cut me off and explained for me where I was going, what I was thinking, and how I was feeling. 

So I looked at him like: 

That one conversation kinda changed the game as far as how we communicate. I stopped making assumptions and started asking more questions. He stopped dictating and started listening. 

Now there may be a time or two that one of us says something that makes the other go: 

But we have grown. That is the most important. Our conversations have expanded to include business, religion, politics and relationship issues. We may not ever talk as much as my mama and I talk, but that doesn't make our conversations less valuable. The relationship you have with each important person in your life is unique to you and that person. It shouldn't be compared with any other relationship you have. 

So then, when I look at people who have familial, friend or romantic relationship conflicts, I wonder how much the parties give each other room to express and understand feelings, room to be who they are and share that, and room for growth. 

Want to learn more about building healthy relationships and having better communication? Check out my latest book. 


www.cmwriter.com/books

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