The Art of Listening

Posted by Marlene in Marlene's Feel Good Blog | 0 comments

Here’s Something To Feel Good About Today!

Sometimes strangers open up their hearts and divulge very personal matters. It was that way for me today, when a woman I had never met before talked with me for about a half hour about her painful divorce, her impending move across country, her storage rooms packed with stuff and her fears about moving on.

I’ve heard it said that hair dressers and other service providers know plenty about their customers. Some people find a welcome release in sharing their private lives with a stranger; it may be that someone we don’t know at all is much less likely to judge us.

I didn’t say much at first, I mostly listened. When she was finished speaking she seemed much lighter and far more relaxed. She thanked me profusely and apologized for sharing so much about her situation so freely with a stranger. I told her I was happy to listen. I found myself opening up to her, empathizing and relating some moments from my own past experiences regarding divorce, objects held onto for memories sake and the challenges of moving on.

She knew I understood what she was going through because I had lived through a similar time in my life. I assured that when she was ready to let go of her past life and all the stuff she was still clinging to, her new life would unfold. Her memories would always be with her, she did not need all the objects she kept stored to keep them alive. After all I asked what we really need to be happy. Your new home with people in your life who love you and who you love, are waiting for the new you… Soon as you are ready it will all fall into place.

Have you ever shared an intimate conversation with a stranger? What words of wisdom did you exchange that deeply moved both of you in the process? We all have the capacity to listen but maybe it’s time we listened more to our loved ones as if they were strangers and let go of any judgment.

Find Something to Feel Good About Everyday!