Please wait while your party is reached

I received one of those generic community update messages from my boy’s school today. Something happened that initiated the mass text. I forwarded it to his Dad to make sure everything was okay on their end and he replied yes. Shortly after, a call came through from a local number.

Now, I’m like many others who do not answer their phone. You have to be in my contact list for me to even raise an eyebrow at my phone ringing and it better be something phenomenal that you actually have to call me for. I do answer for the quick run down of anything, when the other party simply doesn’t have the tolerance to message me at the time and it’s easier for them to just talk. Everything else goes straight to voice mail. Since the mass text had just come through earlier, curiosity got the best of me and I dialed my voice mail. You know. Anyways, I had the phone on speaker and it informed me that my voice mail was full. Well, no surprise there either. A co-worker nearby overheard my phone’s announcement and with a total look of surprise on her face said: ”You don’t check your messages?”.

Mmh, yeah, so obviously I don’t. Again, I’m like many others who screen their calls. I do look at what numbers are trying to get in touch with me and generally, none of them have any importance. I manage my life a specific way. Anyone requiring to leave a voice message is already behind my ball game. Which finally gets me to the real topic of this blog.

How we choose to communicate, or more importantly how we choose to ignore people’s attempt to communicate. With us. I’m actually very easy to get a hold off. I utilize different messaging apps. Email. Regular mail. Even calling on the phone if that is really the only way the other party prefers to communicate. I never skyped before, but I am open for that sort of communication if that occasion arises. Of course my most preferred form of communication is face to face. If I’m not up for that way of communicating, anyone knows that they can message me anytime and I will get back to them rather quickly. Now taking into consideration my own preferred ways to communicate with others, I honor how others prefer to communicate with me.

It’s not as easy as you might think. If someone’s preferred way of getting in touch with me is via a phone call, as long as I am aware of that, I will actually pick up the phone for that person anytime. Unlike any other time the phone rings because talking on the phone is my least preferred method of communicating. In keeping the communication open between me and the other party, I have to allow everything that it takes for that person to express themselves. Be it their chosen method of communication or the actual intent of their communication. Generally speaking, we engage in conversation only to hear ourselves and validate the point we are trying to make, reaffirming our beliefs. It is rare that we listen simply to listen. We are on the constant search to be heard, seeking acknowledgement by others to confirm that we are speaking a truth that in reality only we in our individuality can experience. It’s a basic human need to be heard. In my personal opinion it is one of the most basic human needs on the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

If one is not heard how can one ensure one’s physiological needs are met, let alone any of the other needs required for essential human growth.