Usually when I'm around others I feel like all I do is listen. Listen to their thoughts. Listen to their petty details. Listen intently and try to understand them. I try so hard to listen. But sometimes it seems like nobody else ever does the same. How come it's so hard to find others who listen? care? understand? It seems like I get a limit of 2 minutes to speak and let out all that I'm feeling and once that 2 minutes is up, well, that's it! no more listening. I have to quick get everything out while they take a breath before they start up again. I may let out my heart, my bad day, my feelings into that 2 minutes and all I usually seem to get is a stare and then they start back onto their thoughts again- no understanding or caring whatsoever.
Something I try to do when I talk is to be real. To be honest about my life. I don't like being fake. I don't like when people are fake with me. I don't expect others to have a perfect life because mine is far from ever being perfect. It frustrates me when I try to open up with others but they just keep acting like their life is 100% perfection. Nobody is perfect so why do we always pretend to act like everything is going great when inside we are all trying to feel accepted or we feel like we are falling apart.
My challenge this week (with me included) is to be real. Be honest. Be understanding. And just listen. Instead of talking and going on about yourself, just listen to someone. Just listen to God. Don't talk- just listen. Maybe there has been something He has been trying to tell you but you just haven't had the time. Maybe someone needs to let something out but nobody else took the time to listen. Go out today and be honest about your life, be honest about your feelings and take time to listen more. Just be still and listen.
I agree too. I don't like it even people are fake either!! So true no one is perfect, just focus on being yourself :)
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I feel like I'm commenting a lot right now, but I can't help but comment again, because I LOVED this post! Really, really loved it. Like you and Jenna mentioned, no one is perfect. I believe that so many people hide what's going on inside, and they get good at it! Often, I find myself feeling very intimidated of someone because of how they act...when I get to know them better and realize more of what's going on inside, all the intimidation vanishes, and is replaced w/ love and just wanting to do anything I can to help them! Why can I not see that sooner?? Why do I forget that NO ONE feels as intimidating as they appear? :) I guess it's something that's been on my heart--and also the thing of being real. Thank you for reminding me of it again! I want to do exactly what you said--take time to listen to people this week. To quit being focused on myself. And I want to say--I'm sorry that you feel unlistened to (for lack of a better word!). There was a time in my life, fairly recently, when something happened w/ a friend of mine, and it was very hard for me. I was ok. I was able to work thru it w/ God's help. But there were days when I wished that my friends would ask me about it and get me to talk!!! I felt misunderstood. Don't take me wrong-they were there for me thru it. My family was a big help as well. But they just didn't realize how big of a struggle it was for me. And I didn't want to force the information on them. So maybe that's how it is sometimes...maybe people don't know what to say when you tell them things...maybe they're unsure of what the right response is. Wow, this comment got a little long--sorry about that! Destinee
ReplyDeleteThanks Desinee for your comment! What great thoughts! Thanks for sharing your heart and for commenting :) Glad you enjoyed the post!!!
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