Farmgirl loves controversy

Not really.

(Maybe if I did there'd be more comments. Y'all would be so fired up and angry with me and my opinions! It'd be exciting! (Which is my code word for horrific.) It'd be one of those blogs. I'd be one of those bloggers.)

I love peace but not necessarily silence. I love being alone but not being lonely. I love the company of a very good friend or a very good book. I love a debate but loathe an argument.

Conflict avoidance? I'm often the champion by virtue of being absent from the controversy playing field.

But what to do when the controversy comes to one's own door?

The closer I get to 40 (gulp) the more I realize that conflict is integral to living fully. That turning disagreement into cooperation or at the very least understanding is the end game. That it's not always possible to be alone. That, dang it, being a team player does matter.

Maybe because of my tendency to prefer solitude I have limited team sports in my life (so to speak). But as a mom, and a member of a community, it's important to play well with others. I watch my daughters in their abilities to navigate difficult social situations and I am awed. Where did they get these skills?

Where can I get some?