For those who, like me, occasionally put their foot in their mouth…some thoughts on conversation:
It’s a luxury to be understood.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ideal
conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many
of those who
worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent
exhibition of wit or
oratory.
-Emily Post
The only way to get the best of an
argument is to avoid it.
-Dale Carnegie
The real art of conversation is not only to say the right
thing in the right place
but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting
moment.
-Lady Dorothy Nevill
(1825-1913), British author
The
only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.
-Oscar Wilde
PennyDaisy 
no jonathan wasnt there…he was at his church.
stellar quotes. i was thinking of conversation earlier today. it’s frustrating to listen to a conversation between two people and know that neither person is really processing what the other is saying. i’m sure i’ve participated in many such conversations. i think too many times we’re concerned only with being understood, when what we need is to concentrate on understanding what the other person is saying. it’s not a conversation if nothing is communicated, and the person on the receiving end has at least as much responsibility as the one doing the speaking. “be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” from somewhere near the beginning of James, i think.
I think someone said more than they should have, any way. But I have no reason to think it was necessarily you. I get what you mean about the thinking aloud though.
That’s why everyone is on xanga! Hah!
Them is good phrases to hold on to, if you ever wonder why some people consider me to quiet its because I’ve learned that the best thing to do in many verbal situations is to just shut up and not say anything. Its sometimes hard to not say anything, but I think about how little I’m helping anything by rambling on my own oppinion and then I dont really want to get invovled anymore.
ah. i had to come back and reread these. you know, technically i don’t like ralph waldo emerson. but he did say a few things that are good when taken out of context. and that one is true. “it’s a luxury to be understood.” by people at least. why do we get so upset when people misunderstand us? i get so worked up over that sometimes. emily post’s little tidbit is also quite lovely. according to her, some of the eloquent and passionate things said at Bible study are not conversation, while many of the unfinished phrases between close friends are. and actually! some people can have a conversation without speaking at all! paradox? “it’s a luxury to be understood”, and conversation is only conversation if thoughts are accurately exchanged. is conversation a luxury?
This is all……….very thought provoking! LOL
Later —
In your room? Eh, what? That wasn’t me!
As previously stated the need is usually for less talking and more understanding, because everyone wants to do the talking and no one wants to do the understanding. The person speaking is given the advantage. He is the one expressing and defending himself. Usually the silent person isn’t listening he is waiting to express and defend himself. Listening takes humility because you must let someone else defend himself while you think about his position, not yours. That’s hard stuff.
As saint Francis said “Oh, Master grant that I may never seek so much to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love with all my soul.”
nice…You looked beautiful at the wedding! It was good to see you!
Oh my gosh, I knew that was Stacy, but I completely thought that this was someone else’s site. Her name is Briana, she was one of Melissa’s bridesmaids. Now I feel REALLY stupid because I do know the difference, I swear! Sorry.
ok, found the problem… lol… she’s burntdaisy and you’re pennydaisy. All these daisys got me mixed up!