"All we want someone to listen"

 

We all had that one conversation that was the need of the hour. Do you remember why exactly you chose that one individual? Is it for a piece of good advice, good words, or you just needed a good listener? I had that talk with my cousin a lot of times, mostly when my head is in a bad place. She never made it seem difficult for others to talk. After few talks, I realized it was never about the advice, it is always about listening. She had the patience to listen to the rant and never made me look foolish about it.

                                            

Few problems might seem futile to you but that one person who confides in you may take them very seriously. Once, a younger sister came to that cousin to talk about her recent heartbreak. There could have been two reactions, either she would have chuckled, and said, “You cannot be serious about this, you are too small for all this.” Hence, no conversation. But her reaction was quite the opposite. She sat the younger one down and asked about everything going on inside her head.  

If we think about the first reaction, was sane enough, what do children know about love, right? But for that kid, it is heartbreak. You can give the same advice even after listening to all the problems but obviously in a polite manner. Your listening will make the other person believe that you care. No matter how small the problem seems to you, it is eating up the other person.

We know that Global warming, poverty, hunger, etc. are bigger issues to handle but the human psyche never always works at a global level. Our minds can waste us with even a teeny-tiny problem. So, the key is to listen. Listen to the problems, even if you do not have anything to say. Listen, even if you think the problem is nothing as compared to others. Remember, your opinion matters but their problems matter as well.

I have read it somewhere that, “During a conversation, do not think about your reply but listen to others, the reply will be there.”