Discourse or discordance

What does it mean to truly communicate? People are by biology, social. If it were not for our primary caregiver, we would not live long past birth. Our caregiver quickly tunes into our attempts at communication to meet our needs, else we don't survive. Communication attempts improve as we learn the standardized sounds around us that bring the best change in service. Early interaction with peers improves our ability to understand the needs of others. The process is carried along at first with biological furry but there is a point in which each person needs to carefully attend. It is too easy to find an aged adult who has maintained the same difficulties in communication as found from toddlers. The charge of the adult is not only to pay bills, save money and insure good benefits from your workplace, it is also to hone the ability to communicate. As cliche' as it sounds, communication is truly less about talking than about listening. Communication can be at best be dull and at worst destructive when the persons talking use the interaction as time to play a game of  'free association'. In social situations, communication can help us find resources to meet our needs "Excuse me, where is the restrooms?", but also it is used to stimulate our mind "I have never traveled to Rome, please tell me about your trip!". In the first case, hearing a reply that concerns the person's latest trip to the restroom is not productive communication. In the second case, instructing on how to visit Rome is less interesting than a description of the Spanish Steps at night. Recently, this journeyman realized that when others have a concern for which you are seen as a resource to a solution, the communication is most effective if the listener not only listens, but draws out the concerns of the individual. At best, then the listener can understand the issue and communicate well understood concerns to the resource. At worst, the speaker knows that their concern is heard. This journeyman confesses a deep desire to connect people to solutions and resolution as quickly as possible. Many times, discourse needs to be a steadied, managed, and careful process. Speed is the enemy of communication leading to misunderstanding, distrust and discordance. The convenience of texting may provide quick access to important information, a good conversation is truly impossible!  As the journeyman travels to the center or core of the individual and beyond to micro and macro environments it is apparent that discourse requires time, attention and care. This may be possible during a shared meal, where for the enjoyment of everyone, one needs to keep their mouth shut while chewing, leading to a forced listening time. It may not be able to happen with the insertion of media input. Electronic messages such as blaring TV, budded ears and  web surfing has a greater chance of leading to discordance than discourse.