The Lost Art of Listening

Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak…. – James 1:19

It happened again. I was talking with a friend and brought up something I’d been struggling with. Without missing a beat my friend launched into his own story on a related subject. Maybe it was his way of saying that he could relate, but it left me feeling disconnected and unheard.

I find this to be the norm, not the exception, especially with men. We don’t allow space for people’s thoughts and hearts to unfold, which only creates distance between us. I wonder if the current epidemic of anger is, in part, our grief at feeling so deeply disconnected.

We all hold thoughts and feelings that, like buds, need the open air of a listening ear to fully blossom. And we all hold the power to make of humanity a more beautiful garden.

When was the last time you felt truly and deeply heard?

When was the last time you really listened to someone else?

Pastor Jeff Marian serves as lead pastor at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Burnsville, MN