A few weeks ago at a conference one of the plenary speakers said something that has rolled around in my mind since then. She said the opposite of love is not hate. The opposite of love is silence. (That may be the wrong word, but it conveys the thought.)

When you ignore someone, you are basically saying, “I do not even acknowledge your existence.” At least with an act of hatred you are acknowledging that person is in the room.

It’s a powerful thought. I know that when I bring something up in a meeting or try to point out an issue and then get NO RESPONSE, it is far more hurtful than having a reaction to counter what I just said.