In the devotion I read yesterday the writer's message was this: Very often when we meet or even see a famous person, say an important political figure or a movie star or a rock star, we remember that event in great detail. We remember what they looked like or what they said. We remember how we felt during that encounter. We go over it in our memories and we share it frequently with others.
But often when we make a small, important decision, we hardly notice. We don't remember it or maybe don't even realize it's importance.
I was reminded of a client who talked of a rather momentary decision she made that truly changed her marriage. For weeks we had been talking about the poor communication between her and her husband. She was in early recovery from alcoholism and he seemed to be watching her intensely for a slip. His confrontations led to her response of defensiveness and tears. One morning he accused her of slurring her words the night before and wondering if she was hiding a bottle in the house. Rather than become defensive she responded by simply acknowledging his concerns and stating clearly that she was not hiding a bottle. Though she was disturbed by his accusations, she chose to not react in her usual way.
Did she see this decision as significant? Not really. She downplayed it when sharing it with me. Yet it was the beginning of a very significant shift for her. She began to understand the power she had to lead the conversations and communication with her husband and indeed in many of her interactions.
Today is there a small decision I will make that will change the way I interact; that will give me the sense of power I have with my communication? Will I notice that decision?
Will I ask God to give me the grace to notice?
Blessings-Penny
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