Don Berry is an electrician and has been very beneficial in keeping our electrical needs resolved here at the church. I’ve also used him on electrical projects at my house.

On one occasion a couple of years ago we had an electrical problem at our home. I called Don up and explained the problem and we agreed on a time when he would be there. Don is usually very prompt and I was concerned when he didn’t show up as promised.

A bit later he called me from his cell phone. He had been at the church and couldn’t find the problem I had described. We had a big misunderstanding. I was describing an electrical problem at my house and he was thinking I was describing a problem at the church. We wasted a half hour of his time over a miscommunication.

I think many of our problems are either mis-speaking or mis-hearing. That is the cause of 90% of the disagreements Anita and I have. I say one thing and she hears another. Then she says something and I hear another. Is there a way out of the mis-communication dilemma? Probably not until we learn to speak the same language.

Let’s try a little harder to hear what each other is saying today.

Tags: hearing, mistakes, misunderstanding