As we listen to colleagues, friends, family, neighbors, and community members, we hear new ideas, perspectives, and wisdom. The words we hear have the potential to make us smarter, more respectful, and more attuned to the world around us.
When we don't listen, we essentially wear blinders and limit our ability to grow and become more.
There will be times in our lives when we can listen more than other times.
Sometimes our inner selves have a lot to say and contend with thus giving us less openness to listening and hearing the words and sounds around us. The more we understand the inner self, the greater our ability to hear the world around us will be.
As listeners we can meet the words of others with the following questions:
- What is he/she saying?
- How do those words resonate with my focus, beliefs, vision, and ideals?
- What new information am I learning, and how will I allow that new information to better what I do or want to do?
None of us have the monopoly on knowing all things--we all have more to learn, and the more open we are to the words of others, the more likely we will be to develop with respect, care, and capacity.
I want to continue to focus on my ability to listen as well as to foster that ability in the students I teach. To listen it be a collector--a collector of amazing ideas, perspectives, and wisdom. Onward.
