That's Not What I Meant...

One of the greatest challenges in relationships, misinterpretation, is an daily practice for my family as sarcasm is lost on the innocent and we are not always able to finish each other's... sandwiches. As we change and each individual brings their own experiences and mentality to our interactions, confusion as well as new understanding arises. The more time I spend with my mum, the more I can predict what she is going to say or the rest of a question she only half asks. For example, my dad came home one day and asked me whether I had taken our sausage dog, Coco, for a walk, I replied, "he's gone." In my opinion I had perfectly communicated, in such a context, that he had been for a walk; although my dad took it as "THE DOG IS GONE!"

*let's all freak out because he's the cutest one in the family* 

So he panicked, and I panicked not knowing why he was panicking, while my dog hops down the stairs, trotting over to say hello. Looking at Coco and then back at me he said - rather defeatedly -, "I thought you said he was gone?"
"I did, but that's not what I meant."

While my father took a minute to bask in the beauty of our -still alive and with us- dog, I made a mental note to next time use the word 'been.' Through these interactions and misconceptions, we learn new ways to interpret experiences which shape our behaviour in social situations. Each person carries their own knowledge, experiences and beliefs and therefore we should take into account their perspective as we interact with them - hoping they will do the same for us.