The Art of Listening.
By Pose123
@Pose123 (21635)
Canada
August 11, 2007 10:25am CST
Most people like to talk, we all seem to have an opinion on everything. Something much harder, at least for many of us, is to listen. The ability to listen is a virtue, and one that we all need to learn. When a friend's life is falling apart we're there to ofter advice, when often what's needed is someone to listen. We try to "fix" the problem when we only need to be there, while they work things out themselves.
3 people like this
4 responses
@rosie_123 (6113)
•
11 Aug 07
Those are very wise words my friend. I think I am a pretty good listener. I am an only child, and was bouhgt up in a very quiet household, so I do find it easy to be quiet for long periods, and I am quite happy to give a fiend a shoulder to cry on without saying anything at all, if the need arises. The best listener is undoubtedly my partner though - he is the calmest, and most "together" person I know, and has the most amazing ability to listen.
1 person likes this
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Aug 07
I am usually a quiet person, though my husband says there are times that I get to talking too much, but that is if I find someone with my same interests and we get to talking.. (which is rare). The real talker is my husband, and I can't understand how people can talk and talk for the longest time, from strangers to people they have known for years.. What do they talk about?
I had a friend who use to praise me for just listening to her, but the truth is, I didn't know what to say..
1 person likes this
@peaceful (3294)
• United States
11 Aug 07
The power to listen and the discipline to simply observe is fast becoming a lost art in today's so-called era of communication...
It is absolutely amazing that technology allows us to blab and chat across the entire Planet but never take into consideration that listening is much more valuable...
My Life is very much based on Observation and Listening and sometimes people become unnerved by this feature, yet those skills allow me to make wiser decisions and take effective actions or non-actions, as the case may be, and almost always have positive outcomes as a result...
I have learned truly that "Empty barrels make the most noise!" because I can tell you from experience... most people are simply talking because they can do so- and most of it is purely "noise"... and they pay through the nose for the privelege... how crazy is that? LOL! :)
I have helped many people with my ears...and my eyes, my mouth has learned to be the last thing to open, and for that, I am truly grateful...
It's astonishing to see how many people can actually walk around with a mouthful of "foot" as it were! LOL!
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