If you stop listening,
when things get uncomfortable,
you check out,
just as you need to listen,
more deeply,
and intently.
You miss the opportunity to learn—
and to grow.
And, that is what listening is for.
So, listen,
with your whole body,
and your whole mind.
Listen with your heart,
even when it feels uncomfortable.
You don’t need to do anything more,
just listen.
Don’t worry,
you don’t need to change your opinion,
you’re not losing any space,
and there’s no rush.
Let what you hear settle,
let it sit for a bit.
Pause,
and consider it all,
for a while.
What do you notice,
that’s different this time?
What did you not feel,
in the times before?
Listening,
isn’t always about understanding,
or responding,
or correcting.
Often, listening,
is just about making space.
About making space for others,
for their words,
for their thoughts,
for their experience.
It’s about making space in your heart,
to broaden your perspective,
to widen your universe,
to expand your life.
Making space,
that’s what listening is really all about.
So, now that you reflect,
and consider,
listening deeply,
and intently,
what do you truly hear?
How have things changed,
for you,
for the world around you,
for your perception of it?
There’s a good chance,
that’s it’s grown,
wider or deeper,
even by just a little.
That’s why it’s usually best,
not to check out too soon.
You may miss the beauty of life,
closing yourself off,
from a world of possibility.