Love is dialogue

Dialogue is not a debate of ideas, fought in the crossfire of opinions, behind which, personal attitudes and interests are hidden and defended. Dialogue is not an argument, nor a controversy, nor a confrontational debate of differing thoughts or mentalities. Neither is it various monologues. Dialogue is a search for the truth between two people or within a group.

Let us imagine this one example. I find myself facing another person. A watch is placed in the middle between the two of us. We are both looking at the same watch. Nevertheless, the watch (the part of the watch) that you see is different from and even the opposite of what I see, in spite of the fact that we are looking at the same watch. Each person contemplates things from his own perspective. Each one grasps and participates in things and events in an original and different way.

For that same reason, our personal perception is necessarily incomplete and we enrich ourselves with the perception of others, which is also limited. We necessarily grasp the truth in an incomplete form, due to the limitations of the human condition, due to the relativity and historical character of the human race.

Therefore, continuing with the example of the watch, we would have a more complete “truth” and image of the watch if my perception was joined to that of the person facing me. But if we placed two other persons on the remaining sides of the watch and we joined the four perceptions, then the “truth” of the watch would be much more complete.

Extracted from the book “Come with me” by Father Ignacio Larrañaga