Tuesday, April 8, 2014

listening

listening. really. actually. listening. means that your mind is not heading in a different direction than the person you're talking to. it means following them. down. their. path. i think as a little kid listening meant. waiting my turn to speak. as i headed into middle school, listening meant. connection & validation. into high school and college, listening meant. learning. striving. making comparisons. and of course. romance. as an adult, i've found that there are different types of listening.

there's listening. to connect with. friends. family. and lovers.
there's also listening. for information. for work. for learning. for change.
there's other listening. like listening to music. for pleasure. and fun.
there's an even different kind of listening. for survival. in the silence. and the darkness.
in graduate school at the university of missouri. we are taught. to. listen. to. everything.
and amid the piles of research assignments. and papers. and readings. i realize. that all of this listening.
is starting. to. change. my. life.
because it is through the stories. i. hear. when i listen.
that i learn to. be. a. storyteller.
myself.

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