Inspirational Stories, Quotes & Poems
Quotes
Poems
Proverbs
  • Home
  • New Stories
  • Inspirational
  • Attitude
  • Life
  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Happiness
  • Success
  • Parental
  • Quotes
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • New Stories
  • Inspirational
  • Attitude
  • Life
  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Happiness
  • Success
  • Parental
  • Quotes
No Result
View All Result
Inspirational Stories, Quotes & Poems
No Result
View All Result
Home Communication

Just Listen

  by: Rachel Naomi Remen, Kitchen Table Wisdom

in Communication
Inspirational Stories

Inspirational Stories

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention. And especially if it’s given from the heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times caring about it is even more important than understanding it. Most of us don’t value ourselves or our love enough to know this. It has taken me along time to believe in the power of simple saying, “I’m so sorry,” when someone is in pain. And meaning it.

One of my patients told me that when she tried to tell her story people often interrupted to tell her that they once had something just like that happen to them. Subtly her pain became a story about themselves. Eventually she stopped talking to most people. It was just too lonely. We connect through listening. When we interrupt what someone is saying to let them know that we understand, we move the focus of attention to ourselves. When we listen, they know we care. Many people with cancer can talk about the relief of having someone just listen.

I have even learned to respond to someone crying by just listening. In the old days I used to reach for the tissues, until I realized that passing a person a tissue may be just another way to shut them down, to take them out of their experience of sadness and grief. Now I just listen. When they have cried all they need to cry, they find me there with them.

This simple thing has not been that easy to learn. It certainly went against everything I had been taught since I was very young. I thought people listened only because they were too timid to speak or did not know the answer. A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well intentioned words.

Tags: communication
Share210Tweet132SharePin47
Previous Post

Nasrudin Steals the Happiness

Next Post

What You Are Is As Important As What You Do

Related Posts

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Grandmother’s Vase

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Hazards

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Hearing

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Criticalness

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Essence of Tact

Inspirational Stories
Communication

Gossiper

Recent Posts

  • How To Be More Productive At Work: Tips and Tricks To Become The Master Of Your Craft
  • Brian Tracy’s Motivational Life Story, Quotes and Sayings
  • Integrity: The Trait That Defines Everything In Your Life- Your Work, Your Home, Everything
  • Winston Churchill’s Amazing Life Story, Quotes and Sayings
Inspirational Stories, Quotes & Poems

© 2022 Inspirational Stories

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • New Stories
  • God
  • Christianity
  • Judaism
  • Buddhism & Zen
  • Sufism
  • Faith
  • Prayer
  • Awareness
  • Miracles

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • New
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Attitude
  • Life
  • Love
  • Friendship
  • Happiness
  • Success
  • Parental
  • Proverbs
  • Quotes
  • Poems

© 2022 Inspirational Stories