Responsive

Respect for ourselves guides our morals; respect for others guides our manners.
Laurence Sterne

Tuning in to the richness of pauses, hearing the secrets that silence might hold. Seeing the weight of pain that is engulfed by anger, tasting the bitterness that is the legacy of betrayal, listening to people in the full knowledge that our inability to make sense of their incomprehensible, incoherent ramblings might be an indication of our own limitations! And constantly to remain fully aware of what is going on in our own head, heart and gut!

That ain't easy! But it certainly is worth it!

All too often, we are reactive instead of responsive. The latter, to my mind, implies choice. The former is often nothing more than adrenalin driven, knee-jerk mindlessness.

Focusing on our breathing is always going to serve us well. Focusing on the bigger picture, or listening to the silences, or having enough self-awareness to recognise, anticipate and prepare for when our buttons are being pushed can help us to stop and think about the response that is most likely to keep the communication flowing.