My brother called my dad last week. He does that now and then. Usually he is polite enough with a hello and a goodbye. A few monosyllabic episodes in-between, unless one of his kids is in trouble. Then he speaks with feeling in search of his best response to the situation.
Last week my brother was borderline rude! He didn't start with your general, "Hello." & "How are ya, Dad?" He just shouted at my father, "Where's Jill?"
Though he rarely goes in depth on international issues, the coverage is scarce in our part of Indiana, he does catch the names of the places I am or have been. That's a fair bit of geography for him to keep up with, a few places more in depth than others.
My big brother knew I was in India, had no idea where and possibly assumed I'd try to see as much of it as I possibly could. He saw hotels on fire and heard that foreigners were the target and called my dad. He loves me!
He'll say it, maybe not in just 3 words, but he says it in other ways.
One of the reasons he hated me being in Africa was that he couldn't get to me to help if I needed him. After I told him stories of changing tires on the side of the road and of driving through fields of mud to get to the supermarket, he relaxed a bit and figured I was capable. Maybe it was the story of replacing a fan belt with a pair of nylon panty hose?
Anyway, we all show our love and express our love in different ways. While it is good to express our love when and while we can, words can be cheap. I guess one of the main things to consider is if we are saying "I love you!" in ways that can be and are understood.
Last week my brother was borderline rude! He didn't start with your general, "Hello." & "How are ya, Dad?" He just shouted at my father, "Where's Jill?"
Though he rarely goes in depth on international issues, the coverage is scarce in our part of Indiana, he does catch the names of the places I am or have been. That's a fair bit of geography for him to keep up with, a few places more in depth than others.
My big brother knew I was in India, had no idea where and possibly assumed I'd try to see as much of it as I possibly could. He saw hotels on fire and heard that foreigners were the target and called my dad. He loves me!
He'll say it, maybe not in just 3 words, but he says it in other ways.
One of the reasons he hated me being in Africa was that he couldn't get to me to help if I needed him. After I told him stories of changing tires on the side of the road and of driving through fields of mud to get to the supermarket, he relaxed a bit and figured I was capable. Maybe it was the story of replacing a fan belt with a pair of nylon panty hose?
Anyway, we all show our love and express our love in different ways. While it is good to express our love when and while we can, words can be cheap. I guess one of the main things to consider is if we are saying "I love you!" in ways that can be and are understood.
Comments
It's so easy to misunderstand what someone means - but easier for others to sometimes reveal what we suspect is there too.
My favourite example is my mum and our mutual accountant. She'll call me flustered and concerned about the state of things, then call him too. But she uses very different language... I get agitation and frustration.. and all she asks him is really the core of the question... "is she going to be ok?"