Reflection of Listening is and Act of Love

“listening is an act of love”

I have to admit, I am a bit of a romantic and just the title of this reading strikes me. I mean, how often do we think about listening? I have to shamefully confess: I am a better talker than I am a good listener. I just want to tell everybody what I have to think about things even if they don’t want to hear it. I later apologize after talking forEVER to whomever I have managed to catch attention but it doesn’t take away from the fact that I have just worn my listener out with my gibber-gabber nonsense talk. I just talk to talk. Upon reading this article, I see how selfish that is. I mean, it’s not like I already didn’t know... I would apologize to my listeners... and I don’t think it is bad to talk. It’s just that I want to listen first.

I can say with confidence that I really try to love everybody. I fail so hard. There are some people that when I see them on campus, I literally run the other way. (Shame on me but I really can’t stand to breath the some air as some people... Wow, that sounds incredibly mean but I just have to be honest). One way that I can show other people that I care about them is to listen. It is so simple and it is free. More importantly: it is super interesting! Everyone has a good story! Everyone is so different! Everyone wants someone to hear. At least that is what I gathered from the reading. When the author admitted that he/she had realized “how many people among us feel completely invisible, believe their lives don’t matter, and fear that they will someday be forgotten,” I had to pause. Alone, we are forgotten. It is only when we share our lives and experiences with one another will we ever make an impact on this world through the lives of other people. It is only when you are willing to listen can you can listen can you give someone the opportunity to change and impact you.

So my new goal: to become a better listener! It will be fun! Also, a bit easier on my vocal cords.