Hearing versus listening
Hearing- The ability to hear.
Listening- Paying attention to what someone is saying.
All of us are pretty used to, and are very comfortable with English. And we should be- it is after all a global language. Languages were made with the intention to communicate your thoughts, wishes, desires, feelings or your tiniest worries. They were made for people like you and me, to pen down, or rather type down the endless rants of our minds.
But who is listening?
Everybody has ears. Ears in proper working conditions. Well connected to the brain via some billions of nerves. We comprehend what people around us are trying to 'communicate'.
But how many are actually paying attention?
How many are taking the efforts to process and decode what each word we say is trying to convey?
We are human beings. No matter what situation is thrown upon our shameless faces, we choose ourselves, our own safety, our own better, above anything else. Likewise, our words are measured. We convey only what we want people to know. We convey only what we think would be appropriate. Thus, we need someone to listen. Our mind and heart needs to be reassured time and again that we are not alone and yes, there is someone who actually gives a damn about us, our problems, our worries, our tiny moments of joy, our occasional bursts of peculiarity and everything else.
But being humans, even though we want someone to pour out to, we ourselves have no value for the deepest darkest worries of the people we share our living space with. We attach no importance, no value to the the emotions that words barely contain, coming from their mouths.
what kind of one-sided deal is this?
When someone says they want to talk, don't just put your ears to use. Awaken your heart and mind as well. Remember always that nothing that comes out of someone's mouth is waste. Every word, every sentence carries thousands of stories within it. Listen to those.
Do not listen to reply. Listen to understand.
Listening- Paying attention to what someone is saying.
All of us are pretty used to, and are very comfortable with English. And we should be- it is after all a global language. Languages were made with the intention to communicate your thoughts, wishes, desires, feelings or your tiniest worries. They were made for people like you and me, to pen down, or rather type down the endless rants of our minds.
But who is listening?
Everybody has ears. Ears in proper working conditions. Well connected to the brain via some billions of nerves. We comprehend what people around us are trying to 'communicate'.
But how many are actually paying attention?
How many are taking the efforts to process and decode what each word we say is trying to convey?
We are human beings. No matter what situation is thrown upon our shameless faces, we choose ourselves, our own safety, our own better, above anything else. Likewise, our words are measured. We convey only what we want people to know. We convey only what we think would be appropriate. Thus, we need someone to listen. Our mind and heart needs to be reassured time and again that we are not alone and yes, there is someone who actually gives a damn about us, our problems, our worries, our tiny moments of joy, our occasional bursts of peculiarity and everything else.
But being humans, even though we want someone to pour out to, we ourselves have no value for the deepest darkest worries of the people we share our living space with. We attach no importance, no value to the the emotions that words barely contain, coming from their mouths.
what kind of one-sided deal is this?
When someone says they want to talk, don't just put your ears to use. Awaken your heart and mind as well. Remember always that nothing that comes out of someone's mouth is waste. Every word, every sentence carries thousands of stories within it. Listen to those.
Do not listen to reply. Listen to understand.
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