Saturday, July 12, 2008

Friends and Family deserve love over language!

Taken from an excerpt I read so I don't take any credit for this one!

Even if you are right, there is nothing gained from letting yourself become adversarial with your loved ones. Remember how much more important these people are to you than is the issue you are talking about.

For example,
Aaron is always right. At least, he thinks so. Whether it's a matter of a trivia question or the best way to hang wallpaper, Aaron knows the answer. When his family challenges him on some point, any point, Aaron launches an inquest. He asks people to tell him why they disagree, and then he tries to catch them in an inconsistency. His follow-up questions are like those used by a lawyer trying to get an unreliable witness to admit his faults. Aaron almost always wins. He almost always gets a concession from his witness. The problem is, Aaron's witness is not a criminal in a courtroom but a friend or loved one who holds a different opinion. Some of his friends have concluded it's just not worth disagreeing with Aaron and others have concluded it's not even worth talking to him, since you never know when a topic will lead to a fight. Aaron wins all the little battles, but he loses the metaphorical war. He loses the opportunity to spend enjoyable time with those he cares about.

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