...communication problems

What does the word Communication mean to you?

I was pondering this thought recently when in an extreme & harsh geographical environment. It occurred to me that now, perhaps more than ever in our fast, high tech world we can communicate and be connected to almost anyone, anywhere in the world at any time. Communicating verbally by mobile or satellite connection, through high speed worldwide internet space - typing, talking, seeing. But this made me wonder whether any of these methods actually make us any better at communicating with each other?

Have you ever received a text message where the communication was ‘lost in translation’? Or an email where the communication had one meaning and the recipient interpreted in an entirely different way? In our urgent fast moving world we seem to have lost the nuance of communication. Speed and urgency have replaced subtle facets and in removing these we often get it wrong or miss the real essence of what is being ‘said’ or meant.

Often we say one thing and actually mean something entirely different –body language can convey so much more than words. So in a world of noise and speed it feels ever more important to continue to develop the subtleties of communication – this could be deciphering a look, understanding a touch, hearing what is not being said or simply being and listening in a space with another.

Using non verbal or written communication feels like a real challenge but something we should all try to do more of. It makes us work harder to focus on others and tune into physical signals. How can your eyes communicate? What about your breathing, speed of movement, consciously think about communicating only in these ways and see how perceptive others around you are. Equally try shutting out the noise and really see and sense what others around you are communicating. Discard the obvious and try to perceive what is not being spoken.

There are occasionally people in our lives who we can be in silence with. Who we sense and understand, with the absence of words. Communication of mood, thought and emotion through a real sense of non verbal but intense physical connection, helping us to understand, ‘hear’ and communicate more effectively.

So in a world where God is increasingly marginalized, where we don’t look, see or hear perhaps one of the only ways to really communicate is to slow down, be and physically hear what is not being said.