Ponderings (June 2008) - “RECONCILIATION”
According to Merriam-Webster's Dictionary …
Reconciliation is “the action of reconciling (to restore to friendship or harmony; settle; resolve)”
Sharing my thoughts …
I’ll admit … I’m an optimist when it comes to reconciliation. I believe that any conflict can be resolved IF both sides truly want to reconcile and are committed to the process. Reconciliation takes work and involves putting pride aside for the higher goal of honoring both parties. It involves being willing to “seek first to understand, then to be understood” (Habit 5 of Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). To do this requires empathetic listening and an open mind. It also involves speaking from the heart, rather than from a point of defense. Reconciliation is not easy. In fact, just the thought of reconciling can have folks feeling vulnerable, angry, sad, ashamed, afraid, anxious, etc. etc.. But, if the relationship is important, reconciliation can be extremely rewarding and well worth the effort!
Questions to ponder …
- What makes a relationship irreconcilable?
- How do you feel when you have a damaged relationship?
- What relationship(s) in your life would you like to reconcile?
- How do you feel when you have a successful reconciliation?
- Think of a reconciliation you have experienced. How did it happen?
- What is your most damaged relationship? What keeps you from reconciling?
- Think of someone you have hurt. What can you do to start the reconciliation process?
- Think of someone who has hurt you. What can you do to start the reconciliation process?
Related quotes …
The practice of peace and reconciliation is one of the most vital and artistic of human actions. [Thich Nhat Hanh]
Oh, my dear friends, -- you who are letting miserable misunderstandings run on from year to year, meaning to clear them up some day,-- if you only could know and see and feel that the time is short, how it would break the spell! How you would go instantly and do the thing which you might never have another chance to do! [Phillip Brooks]
Forget, forgive; conclude, and be agreed. [William Shakespeare]
Reconciliation is to understand both sides; to go to one side and describe the suffering being endured by the other side, and then go to the other side and describe the suffering being endured by the first side. [Thich Nhat Hanh]
