Listen
I am writing this weeks blog from Paris. I love Paris in the spring...the weather, the arts, the scenery all seem to come alive this time of year. Given that I don't speak French, I thought I would blog about listening. I have been guilty of developing poor listening skills lately. Hope this gives you the same insight it gives me.
When I ask you to listen to me
And you start giving me advice you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me
And you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way,
You are trampling on my feelings
When I ask you to listen to me
And you feel you have to do something to solve my problems,
You have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen! All I ask is that you listen,
Not talk or do - just hear me.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself,
You contribute to my fear and inadequacy.
And I can do for myself; I'm not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and flattering, but I'm not helpless.
But if you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what
I feel, no matter how irrational, then I quit trying to
Convince you and get about the business of understanding
What's behind this irrational feeling. And when that's clear,
The answers are obvious and I don't need advice
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what's behind them.
Perhaps that's why prayer works sometimes for some people...
Because God is mute, and He or She doesn't give advice or try to fix things.
God just listens and let's you work it out for yourself.
So please listen and just hear me. And if you want to talk,
Wait a minute for your turn, and I'll listen to you....
Listening
By Ralph Roughton
PS I have a few more comments to add to this poem but it will have to wait...it's a fabulous day here in Paris and the city beckons.
When I ask you to listen to me
And you start giving me advice you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me
And you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way,
You are trampling on my feelings
When I ask you to listen to me
And you feel you have to do something to solve my problems,
You have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen! All I ask is that you listen,
Not talk or do - just hear me.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself,
You contribute to my fear and inadequacy.
And I can do for myself; I'm not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and flattering, but I'm not helpless.
But if you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what
I feel, no matter how irrational, then I quit trying to
Convince you and get about the business of understanding
What's behind this irrational feeling. And when that's clear,
The answers are obvious and I don't need advice
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what's behind them.
Perhaps that's why prayer works sometimes for some people...
Because God is mute, and He or She doesn't give advice or try to fix things.
God just listens and let's you work it out for yourself.
So please listen and just hear me. And if you want to talk,
Wait a minute for your turn, and I'll listen to you....
Listening
By Ralph Roughton
PS I have a few more comments to add to this poem but it will have to wait...it's a fabulous day here in Paris and the city beckons.
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