Just-a-Pause: A Kiss In the Air

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We are all aware that plastic is toxic to the environment; but little do we realize how detrimental emotional plasticity can be to our immediate environment of human relations.

Today communication is more digitized rather than face-to-face. Thankfully it is not as difficult as the Morse code of dit dat, but through the more modern usage of mobile and internet SMS, chats and blogs that seems to have shrunk the world so to speak. So in the midst of this technology revolution, where has body language gone?

We tend to think that communication just happens from mouth to ear. Duh-uh?! In reality, most of the conversation takes place outside the spoken word. Gotcha? A lot is instantly communicated through facial expressions and posture. Almost unconsciously our expressions speak volumes of our boredom, interest or excitement during a discussion.

It is very easy to feign in an SMS or email message, or even say, over the phone! Yeah! All is well, Life's good, etc., these can turn into mere phrases with emotions easily veiled. The real emoting comes through only with voice, gesture and facial expressions – all put together. Physical closeness lends credibility and genuineness to conversations like no other. Face-to-face is the way to go. Perhaps, the ever innovative technologists have realized this; with the savvy saving grace of Video Conferencing.

While human expressions have gone phone-y, body language has gone to the dogs. Literally! It's amazing how easy it is to guess a dog's mood, even though dogs can't speak. They are so expressive that to describe their feelings, them dogs adjust their tail-wagging frequency, amplitude and even their tail curl and oh yes...if there is even a hint of a show of teeth and a snarl…just run for your life. Many of us have pet dogs. Look more closely at them. Their facial expressions, ear position, and posture are all consistent communications.

“While we steer by our own insides, people around us steer by our outsides". You don't need no rocket science to understand what this means. When we conceal how we feel, or when we pretend to feel what we don't, we deprive others of information they could use to adjust their behaviour towards us.

You could try this: Sometime when you are at a loss for words to convey how you feel, just focus on feeling it. Your body will figure out how to tell everyone else about it.

We are being continuously warned to reduce the use of plastic to avoid global warming. But in our human relations we need to avoid the use of plastic to enhance heart warming.

From now on, plant a kiss and grow greener relationships and expressions!!