Listen with your whole heart

Proverbs 12:15  “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”  NLT

 

When others speak do you really listen?  I am guilty of  half listening sometimes.  I tune out, (a survival skill when you live in a large family),  I let my mind wander and nod in agreement, I think of other things I would rather be doing.  Such a bad thing!!!  I now wish I had clung to every word that Adam ever uttered to me.  Don’t get me wrong, we had some wonderful conversations.  But there were days that as a mom with 3 young children, sometimes Adam would come home and I would just be so tired that the last thing I wanted was to carry on a conversation.  Avery started speaking at 4 months (seriously, first word “quack”) and has never stopped talking.  I like to say she gets that from her aunt Coco.  (Who is fabulous!  But talked my ear off when we were kids!)  So some days, my ears were just tired and I was out of words…

 

“Do you hear me?”  my little brother would often ask when he was trying to make an important point.  He would physically take your face in both his sweet, chubby little hands and turn your face towards his,  looking directly into your eyes so that he was certain that he had your undivided attention.  Growing up in a house full of girls, 3 sisters and a mom, sometimes it was a hard thing to accomplish.  But we knew to listen intently when he would do this. 

 

My brother in law who is number 3 of 6 to this day will not finish his story, or utter another word if you take your eyes off of him while he is telling you something. 

 

I believe those men are geniuses.  It is only fair that we give our complete attention to the people we love.  Especially when they are speaking directly to you.  Listen to your loved ones.  Let them share the little things with you so that when the big things happen, they will run to you.  Make yourself available.  If they are talking to you, step away from the computer, put down your phone, walk away from whatever you are doing.  I promise, whatever they have to say is way more important than whatever you are in the middle of.