Milkman's Reflections - Jan 15 - Listening

Milkman's Reflections - Jan 15 - Listening

Listening
I speak because I know my needs,I speak with hesitation because I know not yours.
My words come from my life's experiences
Your understanding comes from yours.
Because of this, what I say,
And what you hear, may not be the same.
So if you will listen carefully,Not only with your ears,
But with your eyes and with your heart,
Maybe somehow we can communicate.

How often have you heard these statements? "You're not listening to me!"... "Why don't you let me finish what I'm saying?"... "If you only let me, I'll tell you!"... "I may as well be talking to a brick wall!... "You just don't understand!"... "But that's not what I said!"

If you hear any of these comments coming from your partner, children, friends, or co-workers, perhaps it's true that "you're not listening"--really listening to the people who are important in your life. Listening is the art of connecting with another person so you fully understand what they are saying and feeling. It is a vital and necessary skill needed in creating and maintaining a marriage, in parenting children effectively, and in working together and making effective decisions on the job.

I’ve had a problem with listening to others thru the years and sometimes still do. I am aware of it today so I try to do something about it. Somehow we get in the habit of thinking about what WE want to say instead of listening to what the other person is saying. Sometimes I catch myself starting to talk and then stop……. And my mind has just registered a word or two that the other person was saying before I interrupted them and it was something I wanted to hear. It’s kind of embarrassing when that happens but it doesn’t happen too often these days for me. I have learned to look at the eyes of the person speaking and try my best to concentrate on their words.

Everyone has something to say and they want to be heard just like you and I do. Lets try to be better listeners.