not really about Afghanistan as much as it is about people

[winterbadger]

I followed a link to a brief piece by a British Army padre who's been serving in Afghanistan. It was a story, a couple of stories, about the men he's serving with, but it ended with these observations about the value of conversation and reflection.

I have seen too often people’s lives held captive by a single event. It can be that a few minutes, or seconds even, can be the reference point from which they view themselves and the world, far beyond the reach you might expect.

Talking about it seems to help though; friends and colleagues can bring a greater, wider perspective to something that could otherwise become all-encompassing.

Sometimes the talk can turn to God and faith and purpose, but often it doesn’t. The process, however, is cathartic and always worthwhile. It is a funny thing, but in a world that seems so enthusiastic about the gossip of ‘he said this’ and ‘she said that’ and of the cringing details of celebrities’ lives, I wonder whether what we could really do with is talking a little bit more about our own experiences; how we have seen things that affect us; how perhaps our perspective is not the only one; how we feel as a result.

It is the essential process of knowing and being known, of relationship, of feeling what we do and who we are is valued; which is, of course, also at the heart of a living, active faith.

Comments

[zoefruitcake.livejournal.com]

I wonder whether what we could really do with is talking a little bit more about our own experiences; how we have seen things that affect us; how perhaps our perspective is not the only one; how we feel as a result.

This is the reason why LJ is better than Facebook, IMHO. You can go into depth, get things off your chest

[winterbadger]

I agree. I end up communicating a lot more with people on FB, but only because more of the people I know won't use anything else. :-(

You *can* post longer pieces on FB, but it's not the dominant dynamic of the community, so people rarely use those tools. Likewise, that tool is ready-made for posting quick items or links, which take just a tiny bit longer for LJ (or other true blogging tools), so they more often end up on FB.

But if the people I most wanted to communicate with would ditch FB, I'd leave it without a second thought.