My biggest joy this week was a conversation I had with Mat. It didn't have much to do with our topic, it was more to do with how our conversation went, and how we interacted with each other.
Communication has been a tricky subject for us. We aren't horrible at communicating with one another, but I wouldn't say it's our strong point, either. It's something that we both want to work on and improve.
One of the issues is our different ways of dealing with things. I am an internal processor - I like to think about things on my own in order to figure them out, and I don't feel ready to discuss something until I've had some time to get a grip on it myself. Mat is an external processor - he figures things out by talking to people, asking and answering questions, and hearing their opinions. He doesn't have it all figured out before he talks to people.
When Mat brought up something the other day, he made a point to tell me he just wanted to hear my opinion to help him figure out his thoughts, and I made a point to tell him exactly what I thought, instead of assuming he had already figured it all out.
Truthfully, it was a really small moment, but it meant a lot to me, and it restored my confidence in our relationship and our ability to communicate with each other. I thank God for what He is doing with the two of us, and how He is making us a stronger couple.
I think there's a lot to be said for you viewing your communication lessons as your biggest joy. I'm very proud of you for the approach you're taking and can't wait to learn from you!
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