Listen with your eyes as much as your ears. Body language and facial expressions will tell more about a person than formulated words ever can.
As a mom I listen to three little voices all at the same time. Multitasking is a forced skill, not a desired one. Three little voices beg for my attention. I do my best to listen well.
To listen to the one wanting juice, and the other a band-aid and where are my cleats Mommy and where’s my library book again?
Listen to the music and rhythm of life. Have you done this before? I’m looking outside now, and I imagine what the swaying trees sound like, and the birds flying overhead and the branches crackling under squirrel’s feet. Practice listening to what you see.
Part of listening is opening up your mind to the past and remembering. Sounds that give way to emotions and scenes that play like an old movie on a big screen at a drive in movie. Can you hear the chill in the air, and the feel of that warm blanket wrapped around you as you cozy up next to your love?
Learn to listen above the distractions.
Above the noise.
Take time to notice people.
Actively engage.
Don’t be so quick to formulate your anticipated response, but instead, actually pause and pay attention. And smile. Smiling is an essential part of listening.
Ingest words and also make time to digest them. For words spewed back without being digested, makes for a very unpleasant conversation.
Here’s my daughter’s take on this exercise (Riley Elisabeth- Age 6):
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Traci you said it so well….it is something we all have to slow down to do…and that can be hard when real life wants to distract us.
Have a Blessed week,
Sandra
Blessings sent your way Sandra!
This is JUST what I needed to hear today. Thanks so much for sharing!
of course Alison! So glad to hear it!
What an inspiring post on the word …listen. I’m encouraged to listen not only with my ears but my eyes. And I always love to smile. Thanks for this wonderful post for FMF.
Blessings and love,
Debbie
“Ingest words and also make time to digest them. For words spewed back without being digested, makes for a very unpleasant conversation.” LOVE THIS! I loved your whole post but that hit the hardest. It’s so very true and so desperately needed in real listening and real communication. Thank you for the encouragement and beautiful challenge in my conversations today. Blessings!
Beautiful, Traci. Thanks for stopping by and checking my FMF post out too. Much grace and peace to you!
Love this! Listen over the distractions… so hard but so very necessary!
i like this “listen with your eyes as well as your ears” so true.
i was dealing with health issues for a few years and found it interesting that when people asked me how i was, some really were asking and engaged when my answers got long at times…partially due to my health problem and partially due to the fact that i couldn’t answer with a simple “good” or “bad”.
i discovered the people whose eyes tended to glaze over after 1-2 sentences. of course, it hurt. but i had to learn that they didn’t really want to know how i was. they were being “polite”. i answered in kind.
the others, who truly wanted to know, who prayed for me, who cared in many kinds of ways? they were the ones who became my friends. i was touched b/c i realized that it cost them to love me.
Ahh, so many times I’m coming up with my own reply before someone even has a chance to finish what they are saying. Excellent words here, friend!
Great post, Traci! I love the line “listen long enough to hear beyond the words.” I pray that I would be a more active listener with my kids.