Be The One Who Listens

Be the one who listens.

When the ones you love are hurting, and when the world feels like it’s constantly crying out in pain, the impulse to speak can be strong. And I know you’re looking to take the pain away. I know you’re trying to make it better. But sometimes, the words you have to give aren’t going to heal the way you hope. Sometimes, the way to make it all better is to listen.

I hope you listen to your loved ones when they need to speak their fears, their hopes, their dreams, their truths.

I hope you let them speak so that they can hear their own thoughts.

I hope you listen to people you don’t know and that you hear their story before you try to write it with your own words.

I hope you’re the one who listens.

Be the one who listens to the voices around you. Be the one who lets people talk. I’m not telling you to disengage in conversation, just make sure that you are actually having one and not just listening to the sound of your own voice and the back chatter of someone else.

Be the one who listens.

And just as it’s important to listen to those around you, I hope you know how to listen to your own mind, your own soul, and your own heart, too.

The conversation that you have with yourself is important. The things that your body will try to tell you is something that you must be able to hear, even if you choose not to listen.

I hope you know what makes your heart sing — pay attention to the melody, the harmony, and the lyrics. I hope you are attentive to how your soul flutters, and you see which way it wants to move you. I hope you listen to your mind and know how to navigate your own thoughts, both the good and the bad.

I hope you remember that just because you listen doesn’t mean you have to agree or follow suit or go along with something that doesn’t sit right with you.

Be the one who listens.

Then be the one who speaks.