Learning to grunt and point

I am expressing my needs

My 2 year old daughter has recently become increasingly more vocal.  It is cute to watch her get excited and string some words together to try and express herself.  For a long time she has understood perfectly what others say to her but she chose not to talk much.  Instead of speaking she had an intricate series of sounds and hand gestures that she used to communicate.  A grunt here, a point there, mix in a full handed finger wave and whatever she needed was hers. 

At that age it is crucial to express herself, whether it is with words, tears, or pointing, because she is reliant upon others to meet all of her basic needs.  As she grows older she will become more self-sufficient and capable of taking care of herself.  However, no matter how old she gets, the desire for  connection will require that she rely on somebody else to meet that need.  At times I am far less effective at communicating my needs that my daughter was when all she did was grunt and point.

I struggle to express emotion.  A few days ago I was feeling some strong emotions and I had to work on expressing them.  I took the step of trying to express them with someone I wanted to connect with, but when I did not get the response that I wanted I withdrew.  Instead of communicating what I needed I shut down.  To have the intimacy and connection with others that I want, it takes not only expressing how I feel, but expressing how I need others to meet my needs.  In that moment I just needed someone to listen to me as I explored my emotions.  It was not until after I tried again the next day that I took the risk to ask for what I really needed from the conversation.  Being vulnerable and expressing that allowed me to be open with what I felt and needed, and it showed trust that the other person could, and would want to meet my needs.

Today I can clearly express my needs to others and I will trust that they can meet those needs.  This vulnerability and openness will also provide opportunities for the connection and intimacy I desire with others. Until I ask for what I need, in the way that I need it, I can not expect my needs to be met.