Short story: Undercommunication can be as bad as overcommunication

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John was out shopping with his wife in the local supermarket, on the last weekend. The instant microwaveable porridge was on special, so knowing that they had none left, in their house, John suggested to his wife that they buy one. He picked a packet off of the shelf, without really looking at it too closely. Later, one day that week, John was making his wife her breakfast, before she went off to work. He made her one of these porridges. She said to him then: "This is no good. I do not like the taste. You eat it." John looked at the packet more closely. He had not bought her favourite brand, creamy honey, but he had bought another flavoured item in that same brand instead. When he said to his wife, "Why didn't you say something to me when I was buying it for you then," she replied: "I thought that you were buying it for yourself, as it was the banana brand, which you like." So, John had to eat it himself, rather than wasting it. The truth was, though, that John does not like microwaved porridge in any form. He is of the old school, and he likes to make it from real oats, in a saucepan instead. Another case of misunderstanding, through undercommunication. John will have to eat the rest of the packet of instant porridge himself now too. The next day, though, John went for a walk, while his wife was at work, and he bought her the instant oats flavour that she likes. The following morning, he made her, her breakfast again, with this porridge. She smiled saying, "You went and bought this for me then?" John smiled back, "Yes," he said. There can never be a miscommunication with such an act of love, and there wasn't here either. Photo Credit: The photo used in this article was sourced from the free media site, pixabay.com Sometimes, love means that we have to do things in the other person's way.