Growing up my Dad was an avid licensed, amateur (ham) radio operator. Although he enjoyed talking with people around the globe, over the years, he probably did more listening than talking. Wanting to hear from as many countries as possible, he would spend hours waiting for a particular international broadcast station. He had to patiently listen for the often faint sounds of the station in the midst of static and interference from more powerful stations and from some governments that sent out signals to jam certain broadcasts.
I compare the way he listened to the ham radio to the practice of listening to our inner voice or paying attention to our intuition. When we turn on our “radio” we have to listen carefully and patiently to ensure that no other station is using a frequency that we have chosen. We all have had times in our life when we have said, “I should have listened to myself. I knew that wasn’t a great thing to do.”
Listening well also applies to others. Everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak. When I am quick to speak, I am prone to miss what is being said. Listening first enables me to hear the message. When I receive/hear the message meant for me, it helps me to understand what another person is thinking or feeling.
As we enter the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, let’s remember to listen to our own still, quiet voice first. Then, we can listen patiently to those around us in the midst of the season’s distraction.
Wishing you and your family a happy holiday season.
Love the Scenery around Banff