Recently I was reminded of the value of listening – the value of caring enough to listen without judgment, without trying to fix, with nothing more than an open, loving heart and a mind open enough to simply receive. I was reminded that this gift is needed – not just with coaching clients, not just with friends. It is needed at home. It is needed with those whose lives touch mine intimately.
“Of course!” you say.
Yet, home seems to be the place where I fail the most, where I slip into judgment, where I forget that you don’t need me to fix you.
Why is it so hard at home?
Maybe because we are too familiar, I make assumptions, I fall into automatic, default mode rather than active, alive, loving listening mode. Maybe because your choices impact my life differently than those “out there”. Maybe because I don’t care enough to take the time to remember to bring my best self to our relationship.
While the reason doesn’t matter, I don’t like those possibilities! I want my actions and my listening to show you the depth of my love. You deserve that.
I feel like this was written for me to hear! Thank you for the reminder. 🙂
Robin, thank you for listening and receiving whatever it is that was “meant” for you. That is all we can ever do … stay open and choose to open wider when “called”.