Listen

Thank you Mommy Hazel for this.

LISTEN - Anonymous

When I ask you to listen to me,
and you start giving me advice
you have not done what I have asked.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why I shouldnt feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel that you have to do something to solve my problems,
you have failed me, strange as that may seem.

Listen! All I asked, was that you listen;
not talk or do -- just hear me.
And I can do for myself; I am not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.

When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself,
you contribute to my fear and weakness.

But when you accept as a simple fact that I do feel
what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I quit
trying to convince you and get about the business of
understanding what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious,
and I dont need advice.

Thoughts of my schooldays came to mind when I read this. I remember the time when my Physics cum form teacher said this in class, "Ever wonder why people are born with 2 ears & only 1 mouth? To listen more and speak less." =)