Edited.

Why can’t I just say what I want to say in the way I have it in my head? Why do I struggle in finding the words to put down so that when others read it, it impacts them like they do me when I thought of them? What makes things impactful for people at all? In essence, words are nothing more than thought provokers. We communicate through these agreed-upon sounds that indicate something in our minds. For some, their vocabulary is vast, for the rest of us it may be more simplistic. Heck, I feel pretty good when I put a 3 or 4 syllable word down just to annotate a demonstrative (see what I did there.)

Now, this is a word!

A message gets lost in translation when the interpretation isn’t where the person is at when receiving it. Like a Bible passage to someone who doesn’t believe, or a positive word from someone when you’re hungry. These things at these times are not reaching us, or not being interpreted by us as they were intended. Sometimes my wife says she loves me and I take it for granted because it seemed like the appropriate thing to say at that time. Other times when for no reason at all she will look directly at me and just say “I love you.” This message is received loud and clear, unlike the other, thought they are the same words, the same message, essentially.

What makes our brains triggered to encourage thought process or finally find a belief in change unlike before? Seriously, I write all the time for good (I hope) and if you know the answer to this question please help. What is it about a statement that makes perfect sense like “Home is Where The Heart Is?” This phrase has been around my entire life and I never think much into it. Yea, where you find love can feel like home, OK, cool, I get it. But in a moment when my wife and I compare to someone who has a larger house, nicer things, this same cliché phrase seems to be more impactful because it reminds us to appreciate where OUR love is. The statement never changed, in fact, if in the wrong mood I could take the statement as a challenge.

“Oh, well, where my ‘heart is,’ is in a mansion somewhere overseas.”

Oh, this is a good one.

“Oh, that’s easy to say, after all, when you have 3 stories and a balcony that overlooks the living room, then of course your heart has plenty of areas to roam.”

Actually, it’s uncomfortable how easily those ideas came to me as an argument for where there is love there is the comfort of home. I’ve been to stranger's houses and there is so much love and compassion that I feel at home. “Make yourself at home,” stated by a person that means it, says something totally different than a person who feels obligated. Also, I have to be in the mindset to receive the message. Someone says to “relax and get anything you want,” and then any uncomfortable feeling or pride typically might interfere with properly receiving that message.

A message is so easily lost not because the information isn’t there, but because the listeners weren’t ready to hear it. I can’t tell you how many times I hear a message only to kick myself because it was presented before. “Oh, that’s what they meant?” Ensuring a little bit of shame for having missed or overlooked the first time.

Whether or not I convey the message properly to someone largely depends on where they are at. If I am really good that day, on top of my game, then I can best determine if this person wants advice, just to talk, or wants intervention. People like to be heard and when you sit down and shut off your thoughts of self, it makes it easier to hear what is being said, but also allow the meaning to soak in.

I believe God has to break some of us down to get our attention. Me being a great example. I do not do well with wealth (for I have had periods of extra money in my life) or any form of notoriety (again, small bits). I took those things and used them to cover up my inadequacies or used them to justify why I do not have to listen, because, after all, I already know the answer, right?

Pay attention squeeks.

Well, either way, if you’re having trouble getting a message across, take the time to process through your intent of the message anyways. Determine if you want to be right, or helpful. Determine if the words are moving the conversation towards its intent, or are we trying to show we know something, compensate in some way, or simply just be heard? I think there is a lot of noise pollution in our daily lives and not all of it is garbage, but we hear so much it can be difficult to pull out what is meaningful. It is our job then to know what we are looking for and listen for it. The rest is interference.