Dear Reader,
I try to be a really good listener when a friend is telling me about their problem. From practice, I've learned not to interrupt, even if a possible solution pops into my mind. I do my best to stay quiet, because I realize part of the solution to solving a problem is "getting it all out there." At least it's that way for me. When I'm telling someone about what's bothering me, I'm not really looking for a solution at that point, I'm just trying to organize my thoughts. And when I listen to myself stating the problem out loud, it becomes less frightening, even if I haven't figured out what to do about it yet.
So instead of interrupting, I ask, "What do you think 'you' should do?"
Because when I'm looking for my own solutions, I really do believe the answer I'm searching for is deep down inside of me, I just need to be willing to accept it.
Listening to someone else's problem, sometimes I take it on as if it was my own, and I actually start feeling the same misery my friend must be experiencing.
Which means I might be missing out on a perfectly otherwise delightful day of my own. So I remind myself, it's not selfish for me to enjoy the good days, because no doubt, some bad days will show up, and I'll need a good "listener" too.
Thanks for reading with me. It's so good to read with friends.
Suzanne Beecher
Suzanne@DearReader.com
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