Written Recitation

I'm no writer as you evidently read in my past blogs. Given the choice to convey a message in its written form or by word of mouth, I'd rather express it orally. I have nothing against putting things in paper, it's just that I have poor penmanship. I'm also awful in grammar as well as in spelling (please don't tell my grade school teachers). Putting things in black and white is more formal while talking is more personal. Reading a message is more subject to misinterpretation, misconstruing the writer's intent. While communicating the message verbally allows the listener to ask questions immediately in case clarification is needed. The listener also gets to digest the non-verbal message — inflection/tone of the voice, facial expressions and mannerism.

I'm sure the advantages of putting the pen to paper outweights the contrary. Writers could rebutt my arguments point by point. But in my mind, the real question that begs to be answered is how do you convey a potential devastating information to a loved one?