The Gift of Listening
A friend of mine came over to vent.I realized she didn't need someone to give her advice. She needed someone to just sit there and listen. Try to understand her, and just be there for her. I thought of times in my life, when I needed someone to just listen to me. Often times when i was frustrated, I just needed to vent. I tried to give my friend advice, and I realized she just needed me to listen. During times when i was sad, lonely, needing something more, having my friend there to talk to and give me their complete attention was all I needed. Someone to just smile and say "I am sorry, I understand". Someone to let you cry on their shoulder. Someone to cry with you. Someone to laugh with you. Someone to be your friend. Someone to make you feel like you aren't alone.
There is a innate feeling that we must be loved, feel like someone else cares, that someone else on the planet understands us. It dosen't matter if it is a loving grandpa, a understanding mother, a brother who likes to tease yet still loves you, a roomate, a cousin, a best friend, a boyfriend, a teacher. Just someone in the world who cares about you. Everyone has this innate feeling, you can't stop yourself from wanting to feel love. It is a natural need that we all strive for.
These two ideas connect by people fulfilling the need to be loved by having a friend who listens. Lately, I have been the person who has been seeking for someone to listen to me. I have felt selfish by always wanting someone to understand me. I have needed people to drop everything to listen to my problems. Today I had a opportunity to have it reverse. It was nice to forget about myself and listen to someone's problems. As I was able to to listen to my friend's problems, It was nice to think about this idea that everyone must be loved, and need someone to listen to them. I was able to help her after my being selfish and requiring people to listen to my problems. It was nice to give back to someone who needed help. These are my thoughts, we need to listen more. There are lots of people who are holding in their emotions, they need to let them out to a friend. Next time when a friend comes to you and just wants to talk,try this. Instead of doing the usual; hearing them, giving them quick insincere advice, actually listen. Actively listen. Give them your full attention. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to emphasize with their problems. After they have listened, watch their response. Are they happy that someone listened? Once you have given them your full attention, and they want advice. Offer advice to them. But listen to others, and try to understand what they need. Do they need a hug? Do they a need a shoulder to cry on? Do they need advice? Evaluate this, and your friends will go up, as people recognize you have developed the gift of listening. For surely, it is a gift.
There is a innate feeling that we must be loved, feel like someone else cares, that someone else on the planet understands us. It dosen't matter if it is a loving grandpa, a understanding mother, a brother who likes to tease yet still loves you, a roomate, a cousin, a best friend, a boyfriend, a teacher. Just someone in the world who cares about you. Everyone has this innate feeling, you can't stop yourself from wanting to feel love. It is a natural need that we all strive for.
These two ideas connect by people fulfilling the need to be loved by having a friend who listens. Lately, I have been the person who has been seeking for someone to listen to me. I have felt selfish by always wanting someone to understand me. I have needed people to drop everything to listen to my problems. Today I had a opportunity to have it reverse. It was nice to forget about myself and listen to someone's problems. As I was able to to listen to my friend's problems, It was nice to think about this idea that everyone must be loved, and need someone to listen to them. I was able to help her after my being selfish and requiring people to listen to my problems. It was nice to give back to someone who needed help. These are my thoughts, we need to listen more. There are lots of people who are holding in their emotions, they need to let them out to a friend. Next time when a friend comes to you and just wants to talk,try this. Instead of doing the usual; hearing them, giving them quick insincere advice, actually listen. Actively listen. Give them your full attention. Put yourself in their shoes. Try to emphasize with their problems. After they have listened, watch their response. Are they happy that someone listened? Once you have given them your full attention, and they want advice. Offer advice to them. But listen to others, and try to understand what they need. Do they need a hug? Do they a need a shoulder to cry on? Do they need advice? Evaluate this, and your friends will go up, as people recognize you have developed the gift of listening. For surely, it is a gift.
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