Show you can listen by telling a family member or friend what you heard them say.
Level: Family—Peace Principle: Witness
This week’s featured story came in from Silver Spring, MD, USA :
When my daughter was 12 or 13 she came home from school one day agitated, hurt and confused about something another girl had said. As it happened, not only was I at home without a crowd of other kids, but I was sitting down to do a piece of mending, so I was fully available to listen to her. I leaned close, nodded, and occasionally repeated a few of her words. At the end of 15 minutes she jumped up. “You’re right, Mom. I need to tell her how her words made me feel. Maybe that’s not what she meant to say at all. Thanks for helping me figure it out!”
Remembering this incident still makes me happy. It makes me sad too, because I know it was more the exception than the rule. There were plenty of other times when I was not available to listen to one of the kids, or when I derailed the conversation by rushing in with a solution or a judgment of my own. I’m grateful that now I have a second chance to listen and learn with my grandchildren.
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