Q : What makes a good listener?
A : Someone who listens!
But it has been difficult to find someone with this criteria. I came to this conclusion after having had an incident last week & just needed a listening ear. Many were too willing to tell me WHAT I should do and behave and think…………Most don’t even listen to the full story before they offer their comments.
It was frustrating to say the least.
It made me then realize that we are often too self-centred and self-absorbed in our own world that we lack the time nor energy to just listen to our friends.
SAHMs especially need a listening ear. We tend to just give & give & give and then burn out. Having someone to just listen makes us feel better. I often thought it was just men who don’t listen. But nope, it was afflicts the womenfolk too! Argh!
Perhaps sometimes we want to appear wiser or more spiritual than the next person. But honestly, it really doesn’t help anyone. We would like you to just listen and not preach to us.
And if we are not careful, we will also start to not listen to our children when they come to us. Coz we are too busy telling them WHAT to do. This would be a disaster especially when they grow older and we turn them away from confiding in us coz we are too busy foisting our advice on them. Remember – Just listen!
So the next time someone comes to you with a problem, Just Listen! Then assess the situation to see if he/she wants any advice. You may have a lot to say but if the person is not in the frame of mind to listen, it is pointless and may put him off every confiding in you ever again!
Remember – JUST LISTEN!