I'll Listen

Okay, so I think I was really blessed to be a younger sister. I've never felt the need to learn from experience. I always had someone older to learn from, if not my brother then at least of one his friends. I never appreciated this as a child, or even a teenager, but I now know the value of it as an adult. Not that I don't make countless mistakes of my own, but I am perfectly willing to not make the same mistakes as others. I don't always succeed, but I think in this regard, life is less of a challenge for me.

Also as a younger child I learned to observe. While the older kids would go off and play together, I would choose to sit and listen to the adults. It's amazing what we can learn if we really listen and hear what people are saying--and what they're not. This is easy to do when you're an objective viewer, less so when you're an emotionally involved participant. While I may know the value of listening from childhood, I have come to understand the price of not listening as an adult. It would be wonderful if knowledge always translated into behavior, wisdom into actions, and experience into motivation.

Unfortunately, I'm all too human, with my own personal mix of flaws. I will no doubt let you down, hurt your feelings, trample your pride, and offend your sensibilities. I may appear intimidating or fragile, seem too emotional or void of any emotion at all. I might even break your trust. But it won't be intentional. I may not even know I've done it. I really do desire to put into practice the knowledge, wisdom, and experience I've gleaned from so many of you.

So keep experiencing life. Make mistakes. Have success. But don't forget to tell me about it. I'll listen.