A short message can leave a remarkable amount of room for interpretation. No explanation. No reassuring ending. Plenty of space for my head to contribute material that the sender did not provide.
Before deciding what somebody meant, I can separate their actual words from my additions. Perhaps I need to ask. Perhaps I need to wait. Perhaps they were simply busy. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, but supplying an unfavourable answer does not make it more accurate. I would rather have a slightly unfinished conversation than a complete misunderstanding.
An original reflection by Theo Luke Dornan. Independent and not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous or AA World Services.