Conflict Resolution

Something bad happened while I was on my trip to Ireland.  B-A-D.  I am not going to tell the story but it caused some very bad feelings between GH and I.  I was very hurt and angry the next day and I spent it alone.  I felt bad but I couldn't be around her.  We had breakfast together and I had a very difficult time being in the same room as her.
We decided to spend the day apart.  She wanted to hang around the town and I wanted to see the Ring of Carey.  I took the car and I was gone all day. I was sad to be alone.  I missed my friend and I knew we had to fix our problem.  I thought about it all day.  I tried to figure out the best way to tell her my feelings on the situation without saying things in a mean and hurtful manner.  It was hard.

I arrived back to our B&B about 4:30pm and when I entered our room I immediately saw that someone had placed a glassful of flowers on my bedside table.   I found out later that GH had picked them there for me.  That was so nice and a great way to let me know she was sorry.   GH came home about fifteen minutes later and she asked me about my day. I told her what I did but we didn't address the elephant in the room.

I sat up and I asked her about her day.  She started to speak and I interrupted her.  I told her I couldn't have that kind of casual conversation with her until I resolved my feelings.  I blurted everything out.  Why I was upset and why what happened was not OK with me.  I talked nonstop for about ten minutes to get everything out and then I burst out into tears.  Real actual tears came rolling down my face as I was talking to my friend.  That was an unusual event to say the least.  But I got through my speech and we worked out our problems.

We fixed what was wrong by talking.  Who knew communicating was so important?  I am so glad that I didn't hold it all in and suppress my feelings.  We fixed our problems and enjoyed the rest of our trip.  I am so glad that I have been working on my communication skills.  Just a few months ago I would have kept it all inside and presented a "everything is fine" face but I wouldn't have meant it.  Then things would still have been awkward.  Yea to some much needed personal growth.