Day # 132 - Listening and Being Heard

I had a conversation with a friend yesterday. She's a terrific lady. She has a great attitude in spite of the challenges she is facing. She called me for a bit of guidance and we got that part of the conversation out of the way pretty quickly. After that, it was a free-for-all. We talked about different challenges we face and how we deal with them. We laughed and we were serious. It could have gone on forever but I had to get back to work. There will be more conversations with this friend and I look forward to them.

There are times when we need a problem solved, times when we need advice, and other times when we just need to be heard. I am no psychologist, and I don't have all the answers, but I can offer perspective. I'm not particularly proud or impressed with myself because of it. Anyone can be a friend by listening and offering, not advice, but insight.

I once read that wisdom is when we can listen to others' problems without talking about our own. I don't think I'm anywhere near that, but I don't know how accurate that definition of wisdom is. Besides, what's wisdom? It's something that comes with age and I'd like to think of myself as too young to lay claim to anything that comes with age. My children would disagree.

Do you have someone you can talk to? I don't mean someone you call when you have the uncontrollable urge to vent, piss, and moan. I mean someone you just talk to. Hi, how're you doing? Did you hear the one about the armadillo that went to medical school? That sort of thing. It's important that your conversations are well-rounded. If you talk to friends and just complain, soon that friend will roll their eyes whenever you call and soon after that, they will stop answering your calls altogether.

My conversation yesterday covered a lot of ground and I look forward to the next one. There will be no eye-rolling here.

So, what kind of friend are you? Do you give as much as, or more than, you take? If not, you will eventually start losing friends. Be the friend that makes people happy. Be the friend people want to talk to you. Remember that everything you put out into the universe will come back multiple times. Good, bad, or ugly, this law applies.

So thanks again to my friend. You did more for me than you know. God bless you.

Make it your best day yet and make someone else's day better, too.

- Adolfo

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