Listening

Reflecting on all of my previous posts, I began wondering, "Why do I have a blog?" I'm not sure if this is a common reason, but I think my major motive is to be heard. Even if I have an unresponsive audience of 1 or 2 random people who just happened to click on my page, I somehow have a secret longing fulfilled. I would say that in my day-to-day life, I don't get listened to very often. It's not that people don't talk to me, or that I don't have friends. I actually have many friends. But no one seems to understand the fine art of listening. Many claim to hear what I say, but even if the sounds are vibrating through their eardrums, they aren't processing them with their hearts. They are quick to cut in with their own stories or advice, rather than just sitting, and letting me spill my heart. I'm afraid I've become rather calloused when people tell me that they want to know me better, or that they're "now ready to listen." I'm used to being ignored. So instead, I write, in the way most comfortable to me, when I can no longer contain the frustration, anger, sadness, pain, or on the rare occasion, joy within me. Of course, I am always willing to share with someone who seems genuine in their interest to hear my thoughts, and I realize that I need to reciprocate, but those lovely circumstance are few and far in between. I know that I have been blessed with a loving mom, who has always listened to me, always been willing to stop doing something important when I needed to talk, never demanded that I listen to her in the same way. Realizing this, I have begun to reciprocate recently, trying to fulfill her need for a listening ear as well. I think the stage where we really transform from being a mere needy infant into a mature adult is when we make the choice to listen, rather than be heard. It's not just a physical change, but also spiritual. When we choose to listen rather than be heard, we become more and more like God, who always listens to our sorrows and joys, our complaints, and rare praise. Maybe this choice of listening to the needs of those around us is merely the beginning of something bigger, developing our ears for the voice of God. Maybe He is simply waiting for us to make the choice to listen--for Him.