Does it pay to remain silent?
In a situation where it feels prudent to be silent, it doesn’t mean that communication isn’t happening. The difficulty in such situations is creating real understanding. Facial expressions and gestures can be interpreted in many different ways. Hearing a voice expressing a thought or feeling can at least move things along. The people involved in the non verbal communication can either invest their energy in becoming warmer or they can choose to withdraw, based on what they’ve been told.
Showing fondness or affection ought to be handled with care. There is no point in encroaching on another person’s space if they would prefer to be left alone. Some of us are not totally in touch with ourselves and we end up giving off mixed signals. Are there enough hours in the day to sort out this problem for another person?
What happens if one dares to break the silence? Will it result in a Pandora’s box being opened, with a deluge of weird emotions? Is it worth finding out?
Or is there such a thing as a point of no return, where the possibility of having a civil conversation is unlikely to ever happen?
One can only live in hope.
