On reading this article (last year), “The lost art of deep listening: Choose an album. Lose the phone. Close your eyes.” about listening to music, it begins with

“What’s your favorite album? When was the last time you listened — actually listened — to it from start to finish? With intention, like you were watching a movie or reading a novel.”

It made me think just how important deep listening is to everything we do in life.

If we listened more, and talked less we would increase our listening skills, and we’d help others feel heard. The old adage, “one mouth, two ears”.

But it goes well beyond that.

I’m sure I still do this too often, but I am also much more aware, and work hard to sit back more when others are speaking.

What I see when I bother to sit back and watch others, is that almost everyone who is meant to be listening, is actually thinking about what they want to say next.

Someone’s words or story will usually remind us of something similar, so they (we) then unconsciously focus on our own story, rather than listening deeply to the person we are meant to be listening to.

“But most of us are half-assed when it comes to listening to albums.”

Randall Roberts, Staff Writer, March 17, 2020, New York Times

Most of us are half-assed listeners, not deep listeners, even to those we love deeply, often most especially our partners and children!

Listening becomes even more important when communicating with someone with dementia, or any other form of cognitive or language disabilities. In fact it’s essential.

So let’s all work on not being bad-assed listeners with everyone and everything.

Music, the outdoors, our garden, at work, and especially when with each other.

Listening.

Ps. thankful for a draft folder overflowing with blogs, allowing me to review and then hit the publish now button!