I know something about the way it feels when it seems like I have it all figured out.
I might listen to others as they describe their view, but I’m not really listening, because I am quite sure I already have a view which explains all that I need to know about the topic being discussed.
Yes … it took a while for me to admit it; not only do I fail to have it figured out … maybe I’m not supposed to depend upon my intellect to figure things out so thoroughly.
As a result, if I back off from being up there in the clouds looking down at others whom I assume do not have it all figured out … if I back off, then I instead come down to be beside each one that I meet, and I want to hear what they have learned. And I am genuinely interested, because I might learn something important from the ones I meet, whether they are a friend or a new acquaintance I met online at www.chatempanada.com.
This is part of being human. Caring includes listening. I’d say its a first step. Progress in a conversation can be measured by the level of respect flowing between them. A growing respect may indicate a friendship is building, and diminishing respect will probably lead to separation.
Separations don’t build communities. Friendships do.
It’s not that everyone in a community needs to become close friends, but deeds of active caring about needs or wants in the group are good enough evidence that something useful is happening.
You see, if I have it all figured out, and if all that I do is convince others to become my follower, then this tends to breed mistrust. But when each participant in a group is actively sensing the personal trends and the group trends, and when no one wants to be a follower of anyone else, then a healthy group may be starting. And if everyone encourages each other to please share ideas so that we may all come closer to understanding both our human interactions and our world around us, then we might discover we are finding a path which leads to the greater good of all.