it’s easy to not understand
that seems to be the simpler of the two options
to simply protest that the other is
not coherent or understandable
and so often i hear this approach
used as the end of the argument
though it has nothing to do with
arguing and more to do with writing someone else off
“you didn’t do it”
“you didn’t say it”
“you forgot something”
“it was your fault”
“you don’t make any sense”
you’ll quickly note that one important element
in this sort of discourse
(oh dear, there i’ve gone and given it the credence of being part of discourse!)
is the pointing of the finger at the “other”
i’m sure that i forget as quickly as the next
person that each time i point the one finger at the
proverbial “you”
i’m pointing at least three fingers back at myself
there is another option
maybe it’s just as simple
too
understanding
hearing the other’s story in a way that i can at least
grasp and acknowledge
even if it may not be “my way”
this is the option for which
i am striving
more and more
and as i strive to understand you
and you and you and you
i find to my surprise that what i’m really learning and understanding
is me
~ by Stan Stewart
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