May 2017

Greetings NNOA Family & Friends,

Welcome to the fabulous month of May!  During this month we celebrate Mothers, and the valuable wisdom of the Elders.  I often recall words patiently spoken from my Mother, her unwavering Faith in God and deep conviction that everyone’s voice mattered and held a measure of truth.  How can we experience the fullness of life or celebrate our personhood without being able to effectively communicate?  The goal of communication is to convey information from one person or group to another.  Daily communication is necessary in doing our job and succeeding in healthy relationships, however it is hard to hear a message if we allow negative energy to filter out the essence of the message.  People with high emotional intelligence perceive, understand and manage emotions even in stressful situations.  This helps them use their communication skills to interact effectively with others.  They are also generally able to make well thought out decisions and stick with them until the task they are working toward is complete, because they know what they want; they have a clear vision and clear goals and have clearly communicated these things to others.  As we approach Mother’s Day, recall the lessons of the elders.  I can still hear my Mother quoting Proverbs 15:1 “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  Speak words that build bridges allowing healing waters to flow.  Understanding emotions help decide what is important and how to respond.  I am remembering my Mother in a happy way, she taught me how to laugh, love and forgive- mostly she taught me how to say “Thank you and I apologize.”

Kimberly Cain, Chaplain United States Navy