Inspiraelevation

Independence

Unchained and unfettered.

Independence; it is what we seek.

To be independent in our thinking.

To be independent in our living.

To be responsible for our personal growth and failures.

To be free of dependency.

Nothing is sweeter or more complex than independence.

It is as sweet as the nectar which free flows from a  beehive.

In our pursuit for happiness and achievement liberation is everything.

It is worth fighting for.

Often, one has to fight to maintain and sustain that, which is beautiful.

Everyone must fight.

Liberty is as necessary as the air we breathe.

Cutting a supply of air leads to asphyxiation, death by deprivation.

This must not be.

It is the responsibility of all to uphold the paradigms of;  liberty and justice.

This means constantly preparing oneself to stand up against things that stand in the way of independence.

This is one of the most important duties that one will undertake in his or her life time.

The quest for Independence as a nation was a necessary means to establishing due freedom from tyranny for the collective

At least for the right to pursue such without oppression.

However, the fight did not end there.

Thus, the fight for liberty and independence continues, yet on a different battlefield..

It is not yet time to lay down for there is still so much to fight for. There are still so many victories to be won.

While we celebrate the independence of the nation forget not, that as long as men remain in bonds whether it be physical or in the mind there is still a war to be raged.

Until all are liberated, and free we must not  settle.

Still we fight.

Our fight is not merely a collective one but a personal one.

One must wage, his her own, war daily to remain free and independent in thought and being.

Pressing Forward

Let this day’s celebrations serve as a reminder of what has been done, what has been conquered, and what is yet left to do.

Let it renew in you a spirit of duty, pride, and of purpose.

Let it stir up in you a passion for the greater good and forward progression.

That this day, and tomorrow you will be led to commitment, to walk forward arming thyself with knowledge,

Let it draw from your lips a promise, that you will fight daily with honor and staunch courage for personal liberation of mind and being,

That you  may work toward true liberation of the whole. We as a collective will have many more victories to celebrate.

In all thy getting get understanding.

Strive to understand the entirety of matters, that your knowledge may be full.

This means looking at the content of an argument or discussion relative to context.

A great portion of understanding is all about context.

A failed lesson

One of the most important lessons taught in school is that of context.

Context refers to the things surrounding a particular item or object that gives a thing its basis or meaning.

When learning how to correctly analyze sentences for  greater understanding the teacher instructs his or her pupil on context.

Without context a sentence or statement will make no sense.

This helps the student to find clues in order to interpret the true meaning or significance of what is being relayed.

This particular tool is extremely instrumental in the structuring of human relationships.

It  is instrumental in helping one finding clarity and cohesiveness in our world.

A great many fires have been set betwixt people for lack of clarity regarding context in discussions.

“A discourse and its context are in close relationship; the discourse elaborates its context and the context helps interpret the meaning of utterances in the discourse” (Song 878 ).

A great many do not take the patience or the time to analyze what is being said in its entirety including the context wherein it was said prior to taking responsive action.

A misunderstanding of gargantuan proportions often erupts lending to a tense and disruptive atmosphere un-conducive to relationship building.

“When we study and analyze a discourse, we should bear in mind that,no context, no discourse, and we should not neglect the related context of a discourse” (Song 878).

Everything must be looked at in its proper context to gain understanding.

Have you ever read or seen something and become moved to an unfathomable passion to say something or to act?

Have you ever been guilty of drawing abrupt conclusions only to find out later you were not entirely correct in your assertions?

This happens often, especially in this social media age.

A  lot is taken out of context.

Many seem to find an increased need to come to quick solutions and, derive quick responses, and this has led to poor examination.

Our increased intellect and knowledge has made us more informed but mentally weakened.

Our prideful nature has made us gurus of everything except greater attentiveness

And little patience.

When not taken in its proper context, anything can be misconstrued and serve a fodder for misunderstandings.

Many do not understand this and likewise don’t seek greater clarity.

Presumptions and assumptions have taken the driver seat, reason and patience have taken a back seat or rather been shoved into the trunk.

The focus on one elemental factor without looking at the whole will always leave one lost, and confused.

Confusion is the mother of chaos and misunderstanding.

Let’s take a photo for example.

A photo may have little to no significance or meaning outside of context.

When one is given background information the picture becomes more poignant and alive, more relevant.

It is the same for a conversation. “The context in which a discussion is seen or held affects the meaning the listener draws from it.”

Context is important.

The next time you have a conversation before responding, analyze, try to frame the conversation in a particular context to get greater clarity.

If unable to do this without the aid of the communication partner ask them to give greater insight into context.

Don’t be afraid to ask “In what context are you referring.”

A little knowledge goes a long way.

Song, Lichao. “The Role of Context in Discourse Analysis.” Journal of Language Teaching and Research, Vol 1 No.6 869-879. November 2010. Web. 3 July 2015

The distinction between hearing and listening lies in the differentiation of the faculties being employed to carry out communication exchange, and to what measurable capacity those faculties are used.

One is simply the passage of air through the auditory canal, nothing more nothing less; giving full substantiation to the saying ”  going in one ear out the other.” This fundamentally signifies that the person in reception of the message, has not engaged his or her mental processes in the exchange.

What is effective listening?

Effective listening is active listening.

This means, that when one is participating in conversation they are fully engaged in the mental rationalizing process in an effort to learn through deeper understanding (insight).

Is there any wonder left to the issues of fledgling education. For it can very well be reasoned, that failure to master the art of listening is  largely contributory to the fledgling state of education

Listening and the state of  Relationships 

There is a serious lack in communication, which is destroying many relationships both professional and personal.

Conversations have become disjointed.

With the expansion of social media, we have seen a growth in relational activities but degradation of relationships.

Why is this? 

There are more people talking but few are hearing ,and even fewer actually listening.

Social egoism is at an all time high.

Most of our conversations are not conversations at all but merely monologues and soliloquies.

One can simply look at an exchange among peers and see how many times the same conversation is replayed over and over, although every single rationale has already been explored in great depth.

Each and every one is simply awaiting their turn to make a  point.

How can one gain understanding without at least attempting to listen?

Many have  failed  to past the test.

Most are not even trying.

You too may be guilty of this

Check your reflection

Are you;

• trailing off in the middle of a conversation and carrying on an internal dialogue
• in face to face exchange are you  just waiting for your turn to jump in and say something
• when holding exchanges on social media are you fully reading the conversation before making a response?
• in face to face exchange do you find yourself anxiously waving your hands in the middle of a conversation
• guilty of interrupting before someone has fully finished a thought.
• If responding to a message  only respond to part of a conversation and ignore the rest.
• Are you over acknowledging that you get what someone is saying although they have not finished their complete thought.
• Do you find yourself leaving the exchange without remembering  anything that was said.

Relationships are complex.

Living peaceably among one another requires a thorough understanding of one’s rationalization processes.

That means knowing what position one stands on and why.

Effective communication is the key to building human relationships.

You can never build a relationship with a battering ram, it is impossible.

If you have problems building relationships the very problem could be you.

Do a self-evaluation!

If you find that you have little patience to hear someone all the way through without drawing conclusions about their ineptitude, then you may need to change.

Ask others how you come off in conversation.

Are you spacing out?

Are you pretend listening?

Are you employing selective listening?

Are you a selfish listener?

If you have problems in any of these areas try to actively change your behaviors.

Initiate a conversation, fully invest in that conversation without distractions; with eyes targeted.

Remain silent while the other is talking and wait until they have completely finished to respond.

Try to avoid any of the aforementioned behaviors. 

The art of communication

Communicating effectively is an art.

The basis of that art is listening for understanding that we may build stronger relationships.

Relationships help us get to the places we want to be so much quicker.

When you have the support of others it means that you have someone to share your joy and your burdens and push you along when you lose steam.

“Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.” Ecclesiastes 4:9

Strengthening relationships is essential to your success and achievement, begin by learning to be an effective listener.