A thought that I’d like to explore further…

After taking a huge step in trying to communicate my experiences to those who don’t walk in the same shoes (and the obvious reversal of that statement), I have began a series of reflections.

I’d quite like to write one down, so here it is. 

‘The potential for understanding exists wherever there is the opportunity to listen.’

This thought is in its infancy at the moment, but I’d like to develop it further. To properly listen to something is actually a skill, and is one that not so many people are willing to work on perhaps. But hearing being what it is to me, listening is something I’d like to say that I ‘get’

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  • "You can listen as well as you hear" to quote an 80s song.

    'The opportunity to listen' is an interesting way of putting it. Implies space, and time, and - most importantly - a making good on 'any time you need to talk...' I've had that said to me with the best of intentions by some very good-hearted people, but they're only human, and my tendency to need to talk at tortuous length (with the need for similarly in-depth reciprocation) if the beginnings of anything usefully healing or progressing or radically accepting are to manifest mean that most people's definition of any 'time' (a norm-referenced average-duration conversational moment, rather than a flexible continuum) is understandably sorely tried if I really open up.

  • Yes, I think the distinction between hearing and listening is an interesting one to consider. Thank you for your thoughts.