Are You Listening?

I have been on this earth a while . . . not as long as some people . . . but still a while.   So, I think I have a little life experience, and maybe a little wisdom as well.   As I was getting dressed this morning I thought of a "conversation" I had with a friend yesterday.   And I realized, yet once again, that most people have not mastered the art of listening.   I don't talk about myself very often, or about events in my life.   But when I DO, I would really appreciate the person I'm speaking to to listen to me.   Because IF I talk to someone about my life, that means it's really important to me.   And the thing is, I don't talk to just anyone.   I pick out friends, people who I think would be interested in what I have to say.   I wouldn't expect that just anyone would care about my life.   I would hope, however, that a friend would.   There are those rare people who DO know how to listen, and they are really interested in the things others have to say.  Count yourself blessed if you have a friend like that.   But it has been my sad experience that most people are too busy to really listen or are thinking about their own experiences and how they can top yours.   It kind of makes me not want to talk to anybody, or at least not about important things.   

Maybe we should all go back to college.   Listening 101.