fandomhigh | Resolving Conflict Without Violence, Wednesday First Period [Week 6]

"During most of our time together, I've been the one supplying the topics which we've shaped our discussions around. And I hope that that's been useful to you all. After all, it is often the case that the most difficult questions we find ourselves faced with come from other people."

Anne smiled wryly. "After all, our own brains tend to try to protect us from things we don't want to deal with, so they're often quite unreliable when it comes to difficult but important questions."

"But resolving conflicts without needing to resort to violence is often as much about asking the right questions as it is about being comfortable in difficult conversations. So today, that is what we're going to practice: asking questions."

"Once again, I'm going to want you to find a partner to work with, but rather than me providing you with a topic, I want you to take turns initiating conversation with a question. Your goal is, by the end of this class period, each of you should have learned one thing you could do for the other that would meaningfully improve their life."

Anne lifted a hand in a vague gesture. "I'll leave 'meaningful' up to your personal judgments, but I do encourage you to go a little deeper than that they could totally go for a pizza right now. And remember: your first question may only lead you to another question. Keep digging until you feel like you've gotten an answer that really satisfies you."

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"Oh, why not," Merrill said cheerfully. "It is the point of the exercise, so might as well. Though I'm not sure what counts as meaningful, exactly. Are you?"

"Not really," Summer admitted. "I mean, not in the context of what you could get finished in a class, anyway, with someone you relatively don't even know. Like, what could I get out of you? A million dollars would be meaningful, but I don't expect that. So then you have to consider what's reasonable as well as what's meaningful. I mean, unless..."

Hey, it was worth a shot.

"You don't know where I might be able to find a miniature pony made out of living rock, do you?"

Summer Smith. Always making a heck of a first impression.

Merrill gasped audibly, and even clasped her hands under her chin in a completely earnest way. "No, but I wish I did! I'd tell you if I did, of course, that's the sort of thing people ought to know about, but that sounds adorable. I think I'd want one."

She bobbed her head from side to side for a second or two, and the distant but pleased expression on her face seemed to hint that she was imagining said miniature pony right now.

"What would you do with one, if you had it?"

And, with a reaction like that, Summer instantly found another kindred spirit. Anyone who could appreciate tiny horses like that was alright by her, easily. A grin blossomed on Summer's face, all but vibrating with the excitement that horse-talk was bound to cause.

"I would give it to my friend Peridot, because I told her that if I ever found one, I would give it to her. Do you know Peridot? She's a Gem, very smol, perfect miniature horse size, works at the library?"

"No, I don't," Merrill said, a little bit sadly. "Is she very sparkly then?"

She sounded enthralled by that idea too

"After Arts & Crafts class, she is," Summer said wryly. They all were. "But normally, no, not really. Just mostly green, which, while not my favorite color, she wears very well."

And, since Summer was still a little confused about the assignment, and wasn't sure if they were supposed to just bandy questions back and forth, she added, "Do you have a favorite color?"

"Do I have to pick just one favorite?" Merrill actually sounded kind of distressed about it. "I don't want to hurt yellow's feelings because I decided green was prettier that day, but... I do like green. And blue. I can have at least two, that's all right, isn't it?"

She was also confused about the assignment, but she got confused about a lot of things.

"Oh," Summer said with an emphatic nod, "totally. I mean, mine's pink, obviously," hello, endless pink tank tops!, "but sometimes, you're just, like, not in a pink mood. So I'll have a lot of temporary favorites, when pink needs a break. Variety is the spice of life, right?"

There was a slight pause. "Would you consider establishing that it's okay to have two favorite colors something meaningful?"

She was trying to stay on task.

Edited 2017-06-16 02:06 (UTC)

". . . I don't see why not," Merrill said, after blinking rapidly six times and frowning off into the distance for three seconds after that. "I don't think it's reasonable to expect people to stick to one of anything if they don't want to. People change their minds about things, or sometimes they don't want to have to choose, or -- or -- well, would you say that's all right, too?

"Absolutly," said Summer smartly. "AND that," said with a slight glance toward Ms. MAyer to see if she'd notice how organically she was working things back around to the class subject in a general , "could be applied to conflicks, too, I think. It's okay, when in a conflict, to realize you have changed your mind or feel differently. I fact, maybe it will help. Or make it worse, but hopefully now."

Resolving Conflict Without Violence, Wednesday First Period [Week 6]

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