A fraction too much restriction

Friday 2 May 2008

Sometimes I wish we all communicated in something other than language. Because it's so damn restrictive. We say something, it automatically cancels out all of these other things which we mean equally but can't include, or else we will be going on tomelike for 4 hours about something that can be said in 5 minutes. We construct out of words feelings, concepts and ideas that are hard to define in the first place, and if we're lucky we get it half as right as we intended half the time. And then, of course, we have all those extra little things that humans indulge in. The things you want to say but you're too scared so you kinda half-say them, hoping that people will get what you mean. Or the things you're trying to say but you don't understand what it is that you actually want and so you're trying to describe something you've never really had experience of before. Or we say the opposite of what we mean, and hope that people will get what we mean. Or we leave things out, pointed gaps, and people miss what we're trying to say. Or we speak in our own particular style that is particular to us and people miss the cues. Or ... or ... or ... on and on and on.

Excuse me, but I'm feeling a bit Ecclesiastes this evening, restricted.

My friend and I used to get stoned and rave on, man, about how pointless it was communicating at all and we should just all shut up because nobody could really know anyone else anyway. Sometimes I agree. Lately, whatever I say or write feels so very far from what I intended, or misses out so much of what I really do mean, that it just seems quite pointless and useless saying anything at all, really. Perhaps Someone is trying to tell me something.

Maybe I need to go talk to the Word instead. Or listen. Communicate without words or speech (blessed relief) to someone who understands better than I understand myself. Ask him to show me what the hell he wants me to do with my pointless-feeling safe little middle-class self-absorbed existence.

Maybe he's telling me things and I'm kinda tuned out a bit. I dunno. Maybe it's time to tune in.

Over and out.

4 comments

  1. sometimes I feel the same. What's the Frequency Kenneth? Communication is difficult. I wish you would have been in our staff meeting late last night. (you and I could have sat and listened and laughed:) I sat through the entire thing and basically said nothing. The miscommunication had me laughing my arse off inside.

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  2. I know for me I tend to think and behave as though God communicates with words, like written or spoken English words, language. I forget that God communicates directly to the heart and when I try to make it into words, a lot is lost in the translation.

    I was trying to explain something to someone last night and kept stumbling over my words. They get in the way.

    Kinda wish sometimes we could all communicate by heart.

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  3. Kent - oh, dear. Yes. Staff meetings. Joy of joys

    Erin - Maybe one day we all will communicate by heart. Right now that thought feels totally intmidating. One day it would be really amazing.

    LUcy - I loved your response :)

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