Listening or Being Heard

From early on in life, I have enjoyed talking. Talking, talking, talking. I cannot recall the particular mélange of comments I offered. That period screeched to a sudden and grinding halt, when I found out speaking one's mind was disruptive whilst teaching was going on in the classroom or whilst others' voices were in seeming dire need of being heard. As much as I basked in sharing my fascinations and discoveries like an unbridled, exciting adventure, I treasured even more offering a listening ear to others.

Through the years, I have learned that providing a listening ear, that is productive and helpful, takes much shaping and refining. A wide array of unplanned, difficult experiences has helped towards that endeavor. Discerning between speaking just to fill stumbling, awkward silence or sharing to add redemptive pieces has not been a mere option. I have been on the receiving end of plenty of unfiltered word-vomit to grasp the significance of that.

But, for a time now, I have been traveling on a course less traveled, one challenging me to better balance listening to others and sharing matters of consequence. After being unaccustomed to making my unique mosaic and pronounced voice heard, I have to get past unbidden feelings of guilt.

Looking forward, my challenge is to write and speak (or paint and photograph) with an ear (or eye or mind) that has heard and filtered well. The work of fiction that is in the making needs to be written with much discernment and care. Though book is a work categorized as fantasy, not geared towards children but adults, the message that will be communicated is life-changing and life-giving;

and I must make sure I utilize and hone my listening skills as I pen every word, every character, every plot piece.