“People don’t always need advice. Sometimes all they really need is a hand to hold, an ear to listen and a heart to understand them.” Author unknow.
Lately, I
have been in trouble for not listening. Listening to my husband tell me about
these spiders that are unknown in the worm farm, or my children tell me
something about their day which I know is important and as a parent that is all
I ever wanted is for my children to tell me about their day but obviously my
mind is elsewhere.
So, it got me
thinking, “what does it take for me to truly listen?” According to some
research there are a few steps to hearing and it all starts with the outer ear,
then the middle ear, the inner ear, our auditory nerve and lastly the brain
interpretation.
Well, listening
seems easy then, but is it? Because I know I am not a good listener. I am in
trouble for not listening, for not giving my full attention to the sounds and
noises I hear with my ears.
Did you know
that on the 18th of July it will be World Listening Day? I didn’t
know but, on this day, everyone is encouraged to go outside and listen to the
sounds you hear, record natural noises such as sirens, people laughing, people
crying, you may also like to go for a walk and listen to the birds, insects, dogs
barking, trees rustling, the wind, or the rain.
“Listen to the wind, it talks. Listen to the silence,
it speaks. Listen to your heart, it knows.” Native American Proverb
Listening
takes our entire body, it is receiving a message, reacting, being affected by
what we have heard and having the aim to understand the other person. I ask myself
this question quite often, how can I expect my children to listen, if I’m not
listening to them?
“One of the sincerest
forms of respect is actually listening to what another has to say.”
Byrant H.
McGill (INPEACHES.COM)
So far this
year I have learnt that I need to become an effective listener, because listening
is a way to connect, and an act of love. Pope Francis says, “people are losing their
ability to listen and that the greatest need of humans is to be heard.” I couldn’t
agree more. To listen better we need to give our full attention, to be the
friend or parent who they move towards when they need wisdom, understanding,
compassion and love.
“Listening is
an art that requires attention over talent, spirt over ego, others over self.”
Author unknown.
Are you ready
to listen and hear the sounds with your ears? If so, write what you hear, like right
now I can hear the ceiling fan spinning above my head, the windchime on the verandah
and my computer.
May God Bless
Always, Faith, Hope and Love by My Mother Rose.
Written and
created by Katie Robinson
