My Reflection page 1

Troy Davidson
Communications 122
April 7, 2015

Hope as defined, a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain

thing to happen. Dictionary. (2015, January 1). Hope can drive us and fill us.
My hope is that we can have a desire to love and respect each other despite
differences. Despite viewpoints and despite any wrongdoing we may have
committed against one another. We can forgive and forget. My message of
hope is that we have a choice to choose how we can react. What will you
choose?
It is not easy to think about that you will just forgive one another
despite any wrongdoing on either part. The lesson we had in class on
forgiveness has really stuck with me and still continuously probes at my
mind.
For the longest time I really thought that I was a forgiving person. I
have never really shut anyone out of my life before. I continuously am
looking to make new friends from any background in my life. I do not feel like
I try to judge either. What I learned as we discussed this principle is I may not
judge another, but I do not forgive easily. This I discovered even when
reflecting on my relationship with my wife.
I am guilty of not forgiving for this next reason. When issues arise and I
become perturbed at the choices or inefficiencies of others I tend to feel

My Reflection page 2
superior to them. I noticed this first after this lesson with my wife. My wife
tends to be a very detailed person and some tasks can take her longer to do.
For me I can be but I have learned to be efficient. In this respect what I
noticed that would happen is I would feel over time that I was better than
her. Never did I want this feeling, I thought more so it was just frustration of
being late to things constantly.
Upon deeper reflection even though this would be some of the
frustration but I because I too used to have a similar issue of being late to
everything I learned to control that from help of a mission companion and
friend. I learned I was not helping the situation. I would not say anything for
a long time focusing on just the situation at hand. Increasingly this would
mount up and smaller things would start to bother me. When in reality this
is something I can help if I can learn to communicate clearly with my wife.
Now being late is not the message here. So often many divides happen
in our society because people do not communicate, like me they want to just
avoid and bite their tongue but a greater thing happens. Just like in during
segregation times and during anytime there was a hate between cultures,
people, or ideas resentment and misunderstanding becomes a result.
In my situation this could have happened with my wife and I. Listening
is probably one of the greatest things that have been brought to my
attention in this class. I do not listen enough. I have become quite good at
keeping my mouth quiet and shut, but the reality is my attention on the
conversation or is it elsewhere?

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People so often what to accuse, be little, make fun, or undermine the
offender. The hope I have is that we all can listen again. Take time aside to sit
and ponder on what someone is speaking to you. Listen to their concern.
What are they really telling you?
In class I saw that that even when classmates where discussing
opinions and ideas it was not always a mutual understanding. Gratefully we
attend a school where we can openly share and not be ridiculed for the ideas
we may have, no matter how far out of context or subject they may be.
However I saw there seemed to be assumptions at times being made on
what someone is saying due to the fact that we all wanted to share our
ideas. Once those ideas took hold we would want to almost burst out of our
seams to share. In their haste to share ideas they start to make assumptions
about what the other is saying so that we can shorten what they are saying
allowing us to have the moment to speak.
Instead what we could be doing is learn to understand one another. To
communicate as defined in the Webster dictionary states, to transmit
information, thought, or feeling so that it is satisfactorily received or
understood. Dictionary. (2015, January 1) Is it being satisfactorily received?
I saw this happen a lot with one of the guys in our class he had a very
bold strong belief system in which could come off abrasive and sometimes
rude. Many students I felt were not really listening to him. Not that he always
made the best efforts himself. I did notice though he would ask questions
others to help clarify his understanding. Others would quickly jump in and

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give their opinions to explain their side but more so it was only perspective
that was different.
Many times we all want the same things. Many times we argue on how
we are going to get there. If we can listen, actually be able to restate clearly
what someone expects and wants out of a situation then I think more bridges
in humanity could be accomplished. That is what I want. I want to be able to
cross bridges and build cities. I want to be able to communicate in way to
help lift and encourage to not just being better but also to be their best.
I learned so much about strengths that I have myself this in itself has
given me more confidence in interacting with the world. I really like was
stated in an article we read earlier in the semester in understanding what we
can contribute for a group or team, Before you can forge a successful
alliance, you must understand what you bring to the combination, and
equally important, what you dont Wagner, R., & Muller, G. (2009). I know
what I have to contribute and how I can monitor myself so I am not too weak
or too strong in an attribute. This in turn gives me hope and direction for the
future.
People who do not understand each other or do not what their
strengths are oftentimes see them as weaknesses and can isolate
themselves. Their hope can be ignited if we all can communicate with each
other effectively what our strengths are and how people can better perceive
our actions.

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Overall I want individual to communicate better. I want to see people
communicate more openly and more respectfully about whom they are and
their goals. As we listen to other I feel we will see greater trust in one
another and greater progress. I will choose how I communicate with others
by listening and communicating with others around me.

Bibliography:

1. Dictionary. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 7, 2015, from

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope
2. Dictionary. (2015, January 1). Retrieved April 7, 2015, from
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/communicate

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3. Wagner, R., & Muller, G. (2009). Why Partners Need Complementary
Strengths. Why Partners Need Complementary Strengths, 1-1.
Retrieved April 14, 2015.