Rabbit Season! Duck Season!

As I get older and older, I still get caught up into this stuff… and my bet is that you do too. Watch this classic video.

Do Not! Do, Too! Do Not! Well, there you go for an example

And, it is usually our own nature that is at fault… We envision ourselves as relational and do not always see our willingness to engage sometimes gets us suckered into inane conversations / debates suck as these.

Do Not! Do, Too! Do Not! Seriously? Really??

Whenever this stuff happens to me (and, regrettably, it happens far too often) here is how I try to work my way out of it:

> Listen: The whole trick to this game when we act out of the contrary argument and fail to recognize that the conversation has changed. Beyond that, we fail to recognize the motivations of the other’s argument. Getting as agreement that it might be “bear season” (sorry, bears!) might be common ground upon which to build a relationship rather than go for the outright win.

> Go for the Goal over the Win: What is your intention regarding, at least, your half of the conflict? If it is tied into your own ego and/or your need for the win, well good luck. While you cannot control another’s motivation in an argument, you must be aware of your own. If you clearly understand the value or truth that you are attempting to protect, then listen even harder and know what you are doing rather than act on instinct, you silly duck.

> Don’t Fire In the Heat of a Discussion: Most importantly, do not demand that the trigger get pulled or shoot off yourself without a pause to come to a clear understanding regarding the final agreement as well as thinking through all the consequences (beyond your interior celebration of “I win!”)

Pope Francis writes: How, then, can communication be at the service of an authentic culture of encounter? What does it mean for us, as disciples of the Lord, to encounter others in the light of the Gospel? In spite of our own limitations and sinfulness, how do we draw truly close to one another? These questions are summed up in what a scribe – a communicator – once asked Jesus: “And who is my neighbour?” (Lk 10:29).

Rabbit season? Duck Season? Or a time to strive be Neighbors for all Seasons?

D. Scott Miller

D. Scott Miller is the dean of Catholic Youth Ministry bloggers which is a polite way of either saying that he is just plain old or has been blogging for a long time (since 2004.)

Scott recently married the lovely Anne and together they have five adult young people and also grandparent three delightful kids (so, maybe he is just plain old!) Scott presently serves at Saint John the Evangelist in Columbia, MD as the director of youth and young adult ministry.

He has previously served on the parish, regional, diocesan, and national levels as well as having taught within a catholic high school. He is one of the founders of RebuildMyChurch and has returned to posting regularly (keeping regular is important to old guys) at ProjectYM.