Stonewalling

Have you ever stonewalled someone?

You know what I’m talking about.

It’s when you stop talking, lock up shop and don’t engage anymore.

You just sit there, silently seething.

I think if you see this employed against you then you know you’ve messed up.

Looking back on my experience of using it as a teenager I only whipped it out when I felt I was unfairly being given out to.

I felt misunderstood and that the other party hadn’t taken enough time to understand the complexity of the situation or see my point of view before condemning me to punishment.

So feck that! I shut up shop. Stopped engaging and built a stone wall between us and used my face to express my mood from there on out.

I think those who feel heard and understood don’t stone wall.

I think they accept the opposing opinion in the end but they don’t shut up shop because the other person took the time to see where they’re coming from.

It wasn’t black and white thinking.

They entered into the murky waters with you.