This Much I Know is True...Just in time for Valentine's Day

You don't have to win every argument.  Agree to disagree

I know.  I know.  This isn't going to be a very popular post but, this I know to be true!  Early on in my young life (and far later than I'd like to admit) I thought an argument started with two sides and ended with one winner.  Oh, and I had to be the winner!  It could NEVER end in a draw.  Agree to disagree?  That means no one has to be right and no one has to be wrong!

First, I have learned that there is a big difference between hearing and listening.  Hearing is simply the act of perceiving sound by the ear. If you are not hearing-impaired, hearing simply happens. Listening, however, is something you consciously choose to do. Listening requires concentration so that your brain processes meaning from words and sentences. Listening leads to learning and SOMETIMES that may allow us to UNDERSTAND another point of view.  Hmmmm


Second,  God gave us 1 mouth and 2 ears. So, maybe I should listen twice as much as I speak. How many times do we sit there "listening" but really we are thinking in our minds what we want to say next?   ONE mouth.  TWO ears.  Hmmmm

Third,  other peoples feelings are TRUE to them.  That's a hard one to take in but it's the truth.  Their reality can be very different from my reality..and they are entitled to how THEY FEEL.  Hmmmm

And last, but certainly not least, is the understanding that usually the person I most argue with (Charlie Brown) is FOR me not AGAINST me.  We are usually wanting the same destination...and we CAN get there by different routes...just ask your TomTom or Garmin or GPS.  Shortest.  Fastest. Easiest.  Hmmmm

and just maybe they're right...hmmmm