Communication

Blanket or Sword?

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You make your way to the reception desk and a friendly innkeeper says, “Welcome Traveler. Do you require a blanket or a sword?”

It’s not the question you were expecting, and your face betrays your confusion. Fortunately, the innkeeper is extremely perceptive and broadens their question. “Which do you need most right now, Friend?  Do you need a blanket – the comfort of a soft chair, a hot meal, and a listening ear, so that you can vent your troubles, or do you require a sword – the solution to a problem?”

On the surface, it’s a simple question, and yet, these two choices – blanket or sword – embody the most important ways we communicate as caregivers.

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Communicating With Eyes and Ears Wide Open

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Art - Communication

Communication is one of the critical areas in our lives that can be a saving grace or a bullet train to disaster. Regardless of which end of the conversation you were on, I’m willing to guess we’ve all had at least one that blew up and that we’ve regretted later. What a difference it would have made if we had only communicated with our eyes and ears wide open!

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Buoyancy in the Sea of Grief

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Buoyancy in the Sea of Grief

It seems like there’s an ebb and flow of people I know going through various illnesses or deaths of loved ones. They speak of the difficulty of knowing what to say, or even if to say some things, and that sometimes they feel frozen and unable to talk at all. Many feel like they are drowning, and search for any kind of buoyancy in the sea of grief.

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The Fear Holding You Back

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I think about the times I may have hesitated asking questions during those conversations – have you experienced that, too? The thing is, difficult conversations often become more difficult when you muddle around with questions or thoughts. It is important to be clear, honest, and direct, with a swag of politeness

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Sing a Song

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Singing Birds

My grandmother’s lullabies (is it still a lullaby if it’s morning, though?) to her flowers were more than just idle sounds. Rather, they were an expression of her caring. Remembering her singing made me think about how music in general, and singing specifically, is an essential part of caregiving for humans, as well as houseplants.

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