rumi

The problem with words is that everyone has a different definition of what they mean.  Although there are so many dictionaries in existence, it’s essentially our own interpretation that guides how we understand our interactions with others.  If you truly think about it, the majority of our experience in the world is communicated through this flimsy medium.

I’ve realised lately just how ambiguous communication is.  I have struggled, despite being articulate, to communicate my point succinctly.  Then it dawned on me: although I was saying the words, essentially the language that myself and the other party spoke was completely different. Which in all honesty, was quite a revelation for me and not something that I have  put much thought into in the past.

So I wonder, how many times have I walked away from a conversation not truly understanding what the other person meant?  How many relationships have been affected negatively or positively by this subliminal force? What aspects of our lives come together to shape our innate dictionary?  Our interactions with others? Culture? Family? Experiences? Our interpretation of the other person’s body language and tone?  Context?  I suppose, based on my own experiences, it’s all of them.

I was watching an interview on the Oprah show, where a wide range of people were interviewed and asked what the term “vulnerability” means to them and interestingly, none of them had the same definition.

Apparently, it is supposed to mean:

  • capable of or susceptible to being wounded or hurt, as by a weapon:
    a vulnerable part of the body.
  • open to moral attack, criticism, temptation, etc.:
    an argument vulnerable to refutation; He is vulnerable to bribery.

None of the people interviewed gave an answer that was anywhere near similar to this.

So I wonder whether, if anyone does read my blog, the points that I try to communicate are interpreted in the way that I intend them to be understood.  I wonder if something I say is offensive to others and that does bother me on a deep level.  Maybe I need to choose my words more carefully going forward.

On that note, I hope that you have a good day.  Whatever that means to you.