I sat with two people that I know a little a few days ago. I was in an interesting spot because the conversation did not involve me.

For about 15 minutes I was merely a spectator, I felt no need to get involved. I was content to watch and listen.

I wouldn’t call the exchange an argument but it was certainly a lively back and forth between two very different points of view.

I found it interesting that neither person ever, even for a second, took the time to hear what the other had to say.

On the surface there seemed to be a conversation going on but the more I watched and listened the more it was clear to me that they were only going through the motions of communicating.

There was no pausing to consider what the other had said. There was no “ let me think about that” or “I hadn’t thought of that”. There were only two people trying hard to make their point, a point not shared by the other. It was almost some kind of match.

I wondered, if we can’t take the time to stop and think. If we can’t back up and back off a little even for a moment, if we are just speaking at each other instead of with each other what are we left with?

I thought about the place of me, or I, or us. And I left the exchange sad, wondering where we go from here.

These two, after all, were only acting the way we have been taught, the way we have been told. Look after yourself.