One Apple A Day #839 - Listening
What a precious gift to the self and others, it is to develop this strength. Unfortunately, in a world where everyone yearns to be heard, there aren't enough people willing to listen.
It is such an important skill to develop yet, it's not taught. We teach kids to find their voice, to express their feelings, all vital things.
But what about listening?
How can we learn the magical power of active listening?
Or, as Marcia Reynolds calls it, the art of receiving from others.
Sometimes I feel we give it for granted. We ask children at home or at school to stay silent and listen, but we don't teach them what it really means to listen. At least, nobody told me that it is such a powerful practice. For many years, I thought that a conversation was like a tennis match; you throw the ball on my side of the court, and I pay attention only to be able to bounce it back to you.
I wasn't really listening.
Looking back, I now realised how many things I missed. How many signals I overlooked, how many opportunities I blew because I wasn't really listening.
Listening is a lot more than staying silent.
It is a state of mind and a state of the heart.
It means to empty your cup and be fully open, so you can receive beauty, from another human being, from nature, from art.