As I have mentioned before, each life that has been placed on this world has been blessed with someone special in their life. Whether it may be a best friend, a spouse, a mentor, etc.. I have often realized and frequently do that my life has truly been blessed with amazing friends, people who I know if I did not have in my life I would not be as strong of an individual as I am now. I give thanks to them for all that they have done for me and continue to do for me.
At times I ponder on what makes such a wonderful and amazing friend. Is it the fact of the matter that they can put up with me, or that there is an internal connection. Then a particular quote will pop into my mind, more than likely one of my most favorite quotes.
"The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen. Just listen. Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention.... A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words." -Rachel Naomi Remen
It amazes me how just the power of listen can affect those around you. But how do we listen to those around us? Do we ask constant questions, or simply demand or ask for them to talk to us? Or is that we must show a sense of caring, to know that we are listening to not only the desires of their thoughts or actions but the desires of their hearts, the most true and honest desire. In order to do this we must place ourselves last and the individual first.
Don Marquis once said that "There is nothing we like to see so much as the gleam of pleasure in a person's eye when he feels that we have sympathized with him, understood him. At these moments something fine and spiritual passes between two friends. These are the moments worth living."
I love the quote about listening. As a Mommy of four and attentive wife it seems all I do all day is listen. I sometimes wonder if it does any good. I can see here that it does. Nice post.
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