Athena 02 - Dialogue is Golden

End of day Saturday.

The final rays of sunlight filter through the trees.

Athena and Victor sit at the kitchen table.

Each with a mug of tea in front of them.

Their children are with friends.

They are by themselves.

Athena looks out over the garden.

She observes the sunrays.

She feels a mixture of peace and restlessness inside.

And says...

“Victor, for how many weeks have we not sat together?

Not you and I.

Nor the four of us.

We are always running.

From appointment to appointment.

Always needing to do other things.

And...

Saying to each other: ‘We talk later about that.’

Unfortunately...

That ‘later’ rarely happens.”

“Just now, looking at our garden,

I had mixed feelings.

Happy we are sitting down now...

And uneasy about the next steps.

I feel I don’t know where to start.

How about you, Victor?”

He looks at Athena.

Takes both her hands in his.

And says...

“Today is a new beginning.

The opportunity to do different...

No, what I want to say is...

We have the opportunity to Be different.”

“I called Conrad this morning.

He explained that the Freedom Warriors Way
is the philosophy.

HOPE_A is the recoding instrument.

He was so—unusually—calm in our conversation.

I wondered why.

I asked him.

He said: ‘Don’t be in a hurry. Take your time.

Yet... do start.

Even reading a couple of pages,

and reflecting on these,

will be like new lenses.

They will bring you new views.’

Athena, as you know, Conrad is aware

of how we live our busy lives.

He said: ‘Start to dialogue.

Do not communicate.

Do not discuss, nor debate.

Just dialogue.’

And he pointed me to a section which says:

‘Dialogue is “thinking together”.

In communication, I transmit. You receive.

In discussion, I push my view. You push yours.

In debate, I win. You lose.

In dialogue, something new emerges between us.

Something neither of us had before.

Something that could only rise because we are together.

Dialogue requires true human presence.

Not performance. Not agenda. Not protection.

Presence.

I listen—not to respond, but to understand.

You speak—not to convince, but to share.

We think—not separately, but together.

A real dialogue might begin with:

“I don’t know the answer—let’s think together.”’”

Athena and Victor remain in silence.

They sip their tea.

They look at each other...

While deep in thought.

The neighbours’ dog barking

brings them back into the moment.

“You know, Victor,” Athena says,

“I would like to take this opportunity

to create a new beginning.

To be—and act—different.

You know what struck me?

This refers to all the interactions we have.

You and I.

We with our children.

With our friends.

And yes... also at work.

I realize I give instructions.

I communicate... but...

I don’t dialogue.”

Victor smiles and squeezes Athena’s hands.

He says: “Let’s make it happen.

We can.

It begins with one choice.

Our choice … to do it.”

Athena and Victor look at their agendas.

They rearrange some things.

They decide to sit down every week.

To create and review their new Way.

Athena looks outside.

She sees the last sunray of the day.

And thinks: “Dialogue is golden.”

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