Archive: Around Town

Healing WellCommunication is the most essential element in a relationship. Whether one considers the home, the workplace, being among friends or enemies, in any situation where people are involved, effective communication provides the means to achieve a positive outcome. Individuals who possess basic communication skills are more likely to overcome obstacles in their life both at home and outside the home. With the right skills, relationships are mended, arguments are worked out, and issues of conflict are peacefully resolved.

Yet, with this in mind, why is there so much unresolved conflict in life? Why do relationships between individuals often break down and end in separation or divorce? Why are companies at odds with one another in the market place? Most importantly of all, why are nations constantly at war with one another with many conflicts pitting brother against brother? The answer often comes down to the effectiveness of communication.

But all living organisms possess the ability to communicate within their species. Bees and ants have highly developed modes of communication that include audible sounds, chemical emissions, and the use of physical movement. Some animals communicate not only among their own kind, but also to other species. For those who own a cat or dog, one immediately knows when these creatures want to be fed, or crave some attention, or want to be left alone. Although they may use some sort of verbal communication such as a bark or meow, a dog or cat often employs non-verbal communication to get across its need.

Humans possess one of the most highly developed and diversified communication systems. Besides the ability to speak and learn other languages, they can communicate through other forms such as dance, music, theater, the written word, sign language, and facial expressions. As infants and toddlers, a cry, groan or disgruntled look alerts an adult of a need to be fed, changed, picked up, comforted or amused. These needs are attended to immediately.

As infants become young children, the communication needs change. They learn ways to meet these needs with verbal and non-verbal methods of communication. They soon realize screams and outbursts are inappropriate. They develop more varied and subtle skills as they adapt to societal and age appropriate norms. As they mature into young adults, more changes occur. A teenager in love with another teenager may be initially too shy to verbally express this love, but a smile or polite gesture can effectively convey the idea of love providing a possible opportunity to communicate more openly.

By the time many reach adulthood, approximately 18-21 years old, the ability to communicate has become more refined. Individuals incorporate emotions, patience, understanding, sympathy, compassion, intelligence, and tact into their repertoire of communication. The way a person communicates often conveys to others a lot about the person. It is with those communications skills that a person will succeed in achieving many goals and build many relationships in the course of a lifetime.

(To be continued.)

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