Lost in Translation

I don't know why, I guess it's hard for some people. Listening, an every day human function, is just hard for some people. It could very well be that something vital between their ears and brain is missing. Perhaps, others were not taught that as members of a society, it is polite to listen when someone speaks. A third theory is that it is physically impossible for some people to stop thinking about their own lives long enough to hear about someone elses life. I wonder how these people were allowed to be so self absorbed for so long?

For me, it is a compliment when someone wants me to listen to them. It shows that they trust me enough to hear what they have to say, without judgment. It also means that they care about me enough to tell me what's bothering them. Now I will admit when I was little and my parents tried to tell me to clean my room, or be nice to my sister, the message would sometimes get lost in translation. For some reason, "stop pulling your sister's hair" did not register as anything more than a suggestion. Now as an adult, I've realized a key to using this skill effectively is to RESPOND, to the talker. Whether it be by giving advice, sympathizing, hashing out details, defending your side, or simply doing what they ask of you, response is key.

So what is their excuse? How can people my age justify being bad listeners? Were they dropped on their heads as children? Do they know how to follow instructions? Do they respect the talker enough to do something about it? Is it honestly THAT hard?

Perhaps they are just hard of hearing. Maybe the rest of us just have to SPEAK UP.