It was brought to my attention that I may answer “yes” to that question more often then I’d like to admit. How often do I enter conversations with preconceived ideas about another person’s perspective and then let my actions, thoughts, and attitudes be based on what I think I know rather then what I let myself hear? And what must that feel like to those I'm not listening to? Don’t make me answer that. How can I initiate a change for the better? I’ll answer that: five days of silence.
I am taking a vow of silence for five days to better educate myself on the art of communication through listening. Although complete silence is not equivalent to listening, I believe its merits are three-fold.
- One: It will force me to close my mouth and open my ears-- to not always be thinking about what to say, and will keep me from jumping in to fill a silence.
- Two: It will (should) cause me to become more articulate. I plan to communicate through written words. One has to be much more articulate when writing their thoughts then just spewing forth words hoping something comes out that makes the point.
- Three: It will force me to not be heard. By not having my voice heard I will then know what it will be like for those I do not listen carefully to. I pray I feel a little of the hurt they feel when their voices fall on deaf ears.
Over the next few days I will write of my experiences while under a vow of silence. I expect to encounter frustrations, as well as revelations during the journey. And so, I have tucked my voice in my pocket and set out to listen.
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