There is something to be said for sharing a bedroom with a sibling. Negotiation skills are forged within limited space. A person learns to share. Courtesy for another’s needs and feelings emerges in the give and take of how loudly music should be played and what time the lights need to be dimmed.
A shared bedroom is no place to nurse a grudge. A person can only tolerate a line of masking tape down the center of the room for so long before realizing amends must be made.
Not only does sharing a room with a brother or sister teach a person to consider the feelings of another human being, it also gives ample opportunity to practice asserting your own needs in an appropriate way as well. You must learn to stand your ground, or at least your floor space, effectively without flaring conflict.
Shared space encourages strong relationships. Living in close proximity to another person you witness their ups and downs. You’re given an intimate view of their dreams, successes, and failures as well as how they cope with each. Before you realize it, you find yourself pulling for the person who has driven you mad for so long. You feel real empathy for him when he is down and take real joy in his victories.
Our wisdom and our diplomatic prowess develop over time through what we experience in daily living. One thing I know for sure, when the leaders of the world gather to make decisions that affect us all, I want to be represented by someone who shared a bedroom with a sibling growing up.
Written in 2013. Even more pertinent today.
Written in 2013. Even more pertinent today.
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