Just listen for a moment.

Even in a Crowd?

It has been a very difficult week and more, unable to do very much if anything even the ability to concentrate or do any reasonable thinking seemed to have left me. I cannot ever remember feeling so weak and exhausted in many years.

if there is anything good that comes out of such situations, and I am sure there is, then it is the ability to just reflect and reassess just where one is at. I have done much of that. Some of the things that come home are those precious moments of learning about the things that are important in life.

One of those meaningful moments came back to and fortunately I learned something then that I think I have managed to carry through life with me. 

I remember once I found myself with too many commitments in too few days. 

Of course, I got nervous and tense about it. I was snapping at my wife and our children, choking down my food at mealtimes, and feeling irritated at those unexpected interruptions through the day, Before long, things around our home started reflecting the patter of my hurry-up style. It was becoming unbearable.

I distinctly remember after meal one evening, the words of my daughter. 

She wanted to tell me something important that had happened to her at school that day. She began hurriedly, "Dad, I want to tell you something and I'll tell you really fast."

"Suddenly realising her frustration, I answered, "It is ok, you can tell me and you don't have to tell me really fast. Say it slowly." I'll never forget her answer. 

"Then listen slowly." 

I learned that day something I have never failed to remember except for the very odd occasion.

The gentle and proper way of handling people. 

1. Listen to the other person's story. 

2. Listen to the other person's full story. 

3. Listen to the other person's full story first. 

Then maybe then open your mouth and say something. 

Being a talker is much easier than being a listener.  It is possible to make a measure of how good we are at it.

1) Since you think about four times faster than a person usually talks, do you use this time to think about other things while you're keeping track of the conversation?

2) Do you listen primarily to facts rather than ideas when someone is speaking?

3) Do you avoid listening to things you feel will be too difficult to understand? 

4) Can you tell from a person's appearance and delivery that there won't be anything worthwhile said? 

5) When someone is talking to you do you appear to be paying attention when you're not?

6) Do certain words and phrases prejudice you so you cannot listen objectively? 

7) When listening are you distracted by outside sights and sounds? 

I would suspect when anybody reads this the answer to what kind of listener we are becomes rather obvious.    

It is nice to be back, not sure if I will manage every day but it is at least a beginning. have a marvellous day.