But I’d rather have the cookie (remember Cookie Monster’s song from Sesame Street?)
But for the sake of this year’s blog challenge, C is for communication and the many ways we communicate.
We use words, spoken and written. Perhaps the spoken words have the most impact because we hear them and often see the speaker behind them. We hear not only the words but the tone. Those words can be affirming or destroying. I’m sure you’ve heard of the “toothpaste lesson.” Once the toothpaste is out of the tube, it can’t be put back. Just so are the words we speak; once spoken, they can’t be called back, especially if they are hurtful words.
We also communicate through gestures. I often used the time out hand gesture when my classes got too rowdy or excited or when I simply needed to get them refocused on a new direction in the activity. Pointing can communicate a direction. Nodding can indicate approval or rejection of an idea or request. Our bodies communicate in a wide variety of gestures.
Facial expressions communicate. Expressions are related to gestures. A smile goes a long way in communicating acceptance, friendliness, affection, and love. The tight lips and “squinted” eyes communicate disapproval, dislike, rejection.
Then, there are the arts as communication. I was reading an article this morning about Picasso’s mural, Guernica, and the message it communicated about the destruction of the village by the Nazis (supposedly as a belated birthday gift to Hitler). The utter destruction of one village and deaths of so many innocent citizens shattered Picasso, and his painting communicated that. And communication is not just for the visual arts, but also for musical arts as well. My favorite Beethoven sonata, “The Moonlight,” communicates such a sense of peace and calm in the first movement.
I think all creatures have their ways of communicating, some profound and some not so profound, but communication makes all the difference.
Today, I will think about what I want to communicate to others in my actions and words. How can I communicate through my words and photography?
Telling Stories 