Listening

Have you ever been with someone, and as they listened to you, you felt as though you were the only person in the room?  The person listening had no sense of needing to be somewhere else.  They had no sense of needing to interrupt you.  They simply listened.  How did that feel?

On the other hand, have you ever been chatting with someone and you could tell they were only half there?  The look in their eyes told you that they were thinking about something else?  They had a sense of urgency inside that they were supposed to be getting something else done.  How did that feel?

“Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference.” (David Augsburger)