How often do we create an entire story in our heads before asking one simple question?
Today I watched Episode 11, entitled “Drafted,” which aired on December 24, 1951. Lucy opens the mail and sees that Ricky has been ordered to report to an Army base on Monday. She immediately assumes he has been drafted.
Ricky hasn’t actually been drafted—he is going to perform a show for the troops and is planning to take Fred with him. Ricky doesn’t want Lucy trying to get into the act, so he doesn’t tell her anything about the show.
Lucy starts acting very melancholy about Ricky being drafted, while Ricky assumes she is emotional because she is pregnant. Ricky and Fred decide to throw the ladies a surprise baby shower, while Lucy and Ethel plan a going-away party for Fred and Ricky. It’s funny because all of the guests end up hiding in the closet, waiting for their respective parties to begin, while Ricky, Fred, Lucy, and Ethel finally work everything out.
What struck me about this episode was how easily we can jump to conclusions without ever communicating with the other person. Sometimes we withhold information because we think we are helping, but we actually end up making things worse. Communication is so important. It was important in the 1950s, and it is still important 75 years later.
Communication is so simple, yet so complex. We talk every day to those around us, but how much is communicated through our words, our body language, and our overall energy? A lot is being said through all of these channels, and it is up to us to express ourselves clearly so we can navigate the world and our relationships.
The rub in many I Love Lucy episodes is some sort of miscommunication or omission of the truth, which leads to a lot of hilarious, sticky situations. In an age when our attention spans are shorter and we are constantly distracted, I am realizing that I need to make more of an effort to communicate clearly with those around me.
I might be thinking one thing while they are thinking something completely different—yet somehow, I assume they can read my mind. OMG, this is exactly what I do with my husband. ;) A little self-awareness for me today: communicate more clearly so the poor man doesn’t have to read my mind!
Have you ever created an entire story in your mind, only to discover you had it completely wrong
