A listening ear, the greatest gift ever

 I was jotting down some notes on my ‘To Do” list last night, I hear footsteps behind but I’m too engrossed to look up. Then I hear footsteps walking away and turned to see my
daughter walking away. So, I called and inquired what the matter was and she says ” I want you to look at my scores from school. I was talking to you but I guess you are busy so I will come back when you are done” My heart sank, I felt bad. Called her back, looked at the scores and congratulated her. Then, she livened up and asked why I was  looking at my write up while talking to her?

This short story may not be related to my post. However, it kind of reminded me that the greatest gift I can give to my LO or DOs is A Listening Ear. You can imagine what it feels like when you have an important information for someone and while you are talking, she feels or looks distracted.

I quietly walked away and pretended not to hear someone behind me saying “sorry please you were saying something to me.”  I pretended to be busy with my book (Ben Carson’s Think Big) but then, Two wrongs don’t make a right,  I accepted his apology, shared and started thinking about this phrase “a listening ear.”

Actually, hearing what one is saying is not the same as listening to him. Hearing involves our ears and perhaps brain too, but listening involves our whole being. when you listen to a child, that child feels more comfortable. Especially when he can see your eyes, feel your heart and soul, and also see and feel your hands move or make gestures not different from the topic at hand.

In a relationship, the greatest gift you can get from your partner is a listening ear. If only he will give you his attention (listening ear) then you will be able to convince or make him do what you want. It is difficult for a child who gets that listening ear at home to go confiding in friends rather than parents.

Sometimes, even adults tend to tilt towards the direction of a listening ear. In an earlier post, I wrote on how an emotional affair sometimes starts with the person one is very comfortable with and can talk and relate freely with. 

Getting a listening ear could just be the breakthrough you are looking for. You have a very good point, You have good reasons for your actions, but, if no one listens to you, then you have a brick wall before you.

Most importantly, do we listen to ourselves? “I believe that humans are spiritual beings” Yes. The hustle and bustle of life has made it almost impossible for us to hear that inner voice of admonition, encouragement or direction.

Sometimes I get too busy and begin to really feel like 24 hours is too small, but then I have learnt to just find time either at night or early in the morning, to just close my eyes, focus on the closed eyelids, think about nothing and say nothing for some minutes. I breathe in and out slowly while doing this, when I finally open my eyes, I feel very relaxed, with a new idea in my head or I suddenly remember something important that I may have forgotten.

More so, answers to my prayer sometimes come while I am still praying and how I get them is by listening for a few minutes before getting busy. I have found that listening silently after prayers brings immediate answers to me sometimes. For instance, I started feeling like my girls were spending too much time on TV and when I told them that, they tried to convince me that I wasn’t right by explaining that they spend most of their time at school , so, the only time they have for Tv is the few hours before bedtime. I still wasn’t comfortable and had to pray and ask for direction on what to do. As soon as I rounded up my prayer, and began to listen, a thought just came up that they have a no TV week every month. Yey!  Fortunately for me, when I suggested the no TV week ( dedicated to reading of books instead) they all agreed and were very happy about it. They quickly chose the last week of every month. ( implementing this, depends on my ability to remember ‘cos they may not want to remind me).

This week, I am going to make it a point to listen more to myself, my Hunny, the girls, and other people around me. Listening with full attention helps build relationships and make others feel wanted, appreciated and loved.