Want Better Conversations? Get a Dog

Embark

What do you do when the national dialogue sucks?
You start listening. And figure out better ways to communicate.
During a long conversation with a friend - and my polar opposite on the political front - we agreed about our frustration with the general/national dialogue. Or lack thereof. I mean, here we were, agreeably disagreeing and trying to keep an open mind. A seed was planted in my mind as how this willingness to get curious, ask questions and try to understand 'the other' could grow into if not a full-fledged movement, at least a clarion call to reach out and try to 'get someone' who's not us!
When my husband and I decided to get a puppy in June, we forgot about how much work it takes - and how much sleep we missed. We also didn't realize the amount of conversation and true connection walking around with young Ziggy would provide. It was refreshing, exhilarating to participate in conversations filled with humor, good will and many photos of fur babies.
Not a barbed remark or reference to the ongoing political 'situation'. It really was a vacation of thought.
An then, an epiphany! Want to make friends? Get a dog! Or find some fun conversation starter to start communicating - really communicating - more. To our nearest and dearest. And to absolutely strangers, who are really friends we haven't met yet!
I hear a lot of ‘I don’t get them.’ They’re stupid/crazy/too fragile/woke. You get the drift. We don’t seem to get each other. Self-involvement, lack of information or experience, blind adherence to a belief prevents us from seeing things from a different viewpoint. And there are many points of view, many sides to a story.
If we don’t listen and don’t engage, we can't really know what another person thinks? And as good as we are, we're not clairvoyant. So get curious. Start with some questions. Let’s listen to understand, if not agree.
This season’s Embark goes where few conversations go – to the other side. Or to many sides.
In any case, if one small Goldendoodle can create this much connection, then human salvation is within reach.
Hop on for a little more conversation and a lot more ‘getting’ each other.
All aboard? Let’s go.

Chapter

1. Want Better Conversations? Get a Dog (00:00:00)

2. Recording 2 (00:00:44)

3. Recording 3 (00:01:29)

4. Recording 4 (00:02:49)

5. Recording 1 (00:05:55)

6. Recording 5 (00:06:01)