This morning a curious thing happened. It is almost a ritual for me to begin the day with piping hot coffee, looking out at the sun as it comes up, while listening to the news. This morning as I made my coffee, I wondered how much of the news do I really digest and retain, and how much of it do I merely hear and tune out unconsciously. So I tore myself away from the window, and sat down in front of the TV (you see when the news is on the TV, I also need to watch it to really listen to it, yes I do). And so I watched, with horror, as the story of the San Mateo residential intrusion and shooting was narrated and then was mildly cheered to see the sunny forecasts for the holiday weekend. There's way too much violence in the world, so many people using all forms of desperate and inhuman measures to be heard and taken seriously. (Maybe that's why I tune out? Because I cannot bear to see the cruelty...Excuses excuses...) At any rate as I drove out to work I resolved, today I would genuinely pay attention to (more) news on the radio without mentally charting out an agenda for the day and trying to recollect a forgotten melody at the same time.
Apparently my mind waves were picked up NPR, for it aired the first in a series of recorded conversations inspired by StoryCorps' new holiday tradition for the day after Thanksgiving: To spend the day Listening! No, really!
Apparently my mind waves were picked up NPR, for it aired the first in a series of recorded conversations inspired by StoryCorps' new holiday tradition for the day after Thanksgiving: To spend the day Listening! No, really!
A sobering thought indeed, if we have to declare a National day of Listening...
Indeed, we must all resolve to listen more carefully; to the birds chirping cheerfully every dawn, to leaves rustling gently in the wind, to hills murmuring mysteriously. To really listen to the responses of 'how're you doing?' tossed out hurriedly to friends and colleagues, to really pause and listen to what the cashier is saying as we hand out change, to hold the hand of a grandparent and accept the wisdom they so benevolently share. To listen to unsaid 'but's in a soft sigh, to the unasked request hidden in hesitation and pride. To the unheard voices that know not they could be helped, to the cries that do resound with compassion, each in our own ways , to the call of duty in every task postponed. To our inner voices, of reason and balance. To a higher truth that is all around.
Indeed, we must all resolve to listen more carefully; to the birds chirping cheerfully every dawn, to leaves rustling gently in the wind, to hills murmuring mysteriously. To really listen to the responses of 'how're you doing?' tossed out hurriedly to friends and colleagues, to really pause and listen to what the cashier is saying as we hand out change, to hold the hand of a grandparent and accept the wisdom they so benevolently share. To listen to unsaid 'but's in a soft sigh, to the unasked request hidden in hesitation and pride. To the unheard voices that know not they could be helped, to the cries that do resound with compassion, each in our own ways , to the call of duty in every task postponed. To our inner voices, of reason and balance. To a higher truth that is all around.
