Certain Silences Are Golden

Listening deeply is something we have to learn to do. We can't do it just like that. When the other person is talking he or she is trying to express his or her difficulties and sufferings, and needs us to listen to that. But if we are not capable of listening, then the person who is speaking will not feel any relief in his or her suffering, and will finally give up talking. - Thich Nhat Hanh


I know the friends who really listen when I speak. And I know the ones that do not -- people who interrupt of stop me to tell me what their life's version of my current story is...wit6hout hearing mine fully. The first people fill me with comfort, and help me see what is really going on. The second group just makes me feel disregarded, sometimes angry, sometimes alientated or ignored. Eventually, as Thich Nhat Hanh suggests, I stop talking.


Things that are true on an individual level become true for groups. Groups like liberals and conservatives. Democrats and Republicans. Jews and Christians. Buddhists and Moslems. Blacks and Asians and Whites and and and and .......

It becomes true for nations. Some nations have stopped hearing the difficulties and sufferings of other nations. Those abandoned nations feel disregarded, angry, alienated, ignored.

We do to our world what we do to eachother.

Conversely, if we start by listening to eachother, how could that not end up effecting the world positively? Everything starts small.

Today I plan to really listen to someone I don't want to really listen to. I will tell you later how it went. If you try this, you can tell me later, too. C'mon.