Think about how much life altering information has been missed due to how often people take information for granted. We come from different countries, cities, neighborhoods, households, genders, ethnicities, and not everyone speaks or hears like each other. All while impatiently, not trying to clarify the communication, aka conversation. Context matters.

Conversation is rarely delivered custom-made for our ears (unless watching your favorite news channel that lies just the way you like it). This leads to why so many gems can be missed because the person in front of or next to you did not verbalize it the way you prefer or to your level of understanding. If something is unclear, we have the ability to ask for clarification; actually, I implore you to speak up and reap the rewards of being on the same page. How many relationships, personal or business, would be healthier if better clarity was asked of your partner or colleagues? Possibly not even starting a relationship if you truly understand who a person is beyond what they look like; and that’s intimate or platonic.

For instance, “Would you mind sharing what does…mean to you; or, what do you mean by…?” Communication is life, and without it, we the human species do not survive. As magical as we would like some people to be, there’s not many mind readers out there, if any. No one has the right to be upset because XYZ happened more than once, but you refused to share how this affected or impacted you negatively. Sharing information amongst each other makes us stronger and can help connect the humanity within us.

Furthermore, I challenge you to think about how many others have suffered due to the refusal to share pertinent information. Examples: Corporations not admitting they have toxic chemicals in their products. Someone has acted inappropriately around kids, and no one said anything to the person or the parents, then a kid is assaulted. I was introduced to a person recently, and his first words were Hail Hitler! His friend said that’s how this senior man has always greeted people. I was shocked that anyone allowed this person to get away with saying something so evil, especially to a person of color. (For the record, after mentioning his friend’s words were offensive, he talked to him and then cut him off.)

Self-inflicted wounds tend to be hard to get over but not impossible; maybe that’s because it forces people to look into the mirror of life. This is just the tip of the iceberg, yet you already started by joining this conversation. Let’s continue to get rid of the worn-out excuses of “I didn’t know” and simply do better for others and ourselves. Time is the most valuable commodity in this world, and none of us can negotiate with it; therefore, the time to do what’s right for the better is this very moment.

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