It’s time to talk the generals said as they sat down together to explore alternatives to
The years of fighting that had existed between them.
It’s time to talk said the employer to the employee as they sat down to explore alternatives to
The years of infighting that had plagued them.
It’s time to talk said the old man to his son as they sat down together to explore alternatives to
The years of anguish that had existed between them.
It’s time to talk said the brothers to each other as they sat down together to explore alternatives to
The years of feuding that had gone between them.
It’s time to talk said the parents to each other as they sat down together to explore alternatives to
The years of dispute and infighting that had existed between them.
T. Drake 2021
I write this on time to talk day presenting with it a real opportunity for us to introspect and consider areas within our own world where conflict may exist and to make a positive choice to do something differently.
Conflict when left unresolved can bring with it so much fear and isolation, so many biases misperceptions and missed opportunities. If we live in fear of the response, we may choose not to step out of our comfort zone and initiate our contact with the other. If we are not to open up to our fears we risk losing those opportunities to reconnect with friends and loved ones, to allow ourselves to live in fear of what might happen rather than to expose ourselves to the risk of what might be. By being open to our fear and initiating that contact we potentially open ourselves to a world of new opportunity and reconnections to those we have lost communication with.
In not being and reaching out to others we do not risk having our misconceptions challenged or risk the necessity to change through our renewed contact and remain closed to that opportunity for growth and self-development. We risk the continued misperceptions from other and increased isolation which in turn may lead us to imposing increased boundaries and borders and in so doing we risk creating a vicious circle of increasing isolation.
I write this blog on Time to Talk Day with thought to the dialogues that we have avoided and deferred for so long, these could be with a family member or a friend that we have always promised ourselves we would call and then never quite did. It could also be a neighbour who now more than ever may be struggling with the effects of living alone, it could be a son or daughter who you had always promised yourself one day you would re-unite.
Hello, this single word may be the most powerful word in the English language, it is internationally recognisable and has the power to open conversations which can lead us to limitless new opportunities. Picking up the telephone to somebody we feel we perhaps should have called can always and perhaps there can be no right or wrong words we can use when making that call. The act of offering ourselves as a presence to the other we can open that connection and give space to both ourselves and the other to change through the process of our conversation.
It is unlikely that engaging in conversation is an act of altruism for as soon as you begin the process of listening and talking then so to you open yourself to a world of change and to growth in your own growth and development.
Give it a go, reach out to those around you, those you have been meaning to talk to, those you want to give your love to.
Today is time to talk day, be open to change through your conversations that you have for to summarise the words of Martin Buber in his book I and Thou (1923) it is the very act of us being open in our conversations with others that we can enable change within the other.
As always good mental health,
Tom
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