Reading between the lines is a lost art form these days, and to be able to read between the lines you need to hear what isn’t being said. I feel that you can’t hear what’s being said if you’re only listening to find out how to position your response for maximum impact.
It makes me wonder, if you’re listening to react, is that a trauma response?
I’ve always been told to think before you speak. To count to 10 before you say something. I know first-hand that expressing opinions or saying the first thing that comes out of your mouth is a slippery slope and once you say the words, you can’t take it back. You can try a retraction, but it never actually really works. It’s like trying to recall an email – it never properly works, especially if the email you’re trying to recall was sent to someone outside your next work. I’ve been guilty of running off at the mouth and I guess this is why it is a pet peeve. Because, don’t they say that what you dislike about yourself, you see in others more microscopically?
Also, just because you have something to say doesn’t mean you have to say it.
Yellywelly 