Do You Hear Voices?

We all want to be heard.  Clearly.  Fully.  Completely.  I think it’s our nature to speak and expect a response.  We want acknowledgement from that special someone, and some days, from anyone, that our words are worthy of someone’s ear.

I was only there for four hours to fill in for their teacher.  They needed to be heard.

“My little brother lost his two bottom teeth and I think he’s growing now and is almost as tall as me.”

“I got this one from my friend’s dad, who travels for work and gets lots of cool things.”

“I love this book because it’s got drama and action and made up things.”

“If you want us to get quiet, you have to turn off the lights.  I don’t think it’s a very good idea to do it all the time though, because then we get used to it and don’t actually get quiet.”

“I have a joke for you.   Knock, knock. Who’s there? I love.  I love who?  I don’t know, you tell me.”

“Is it raining outside yet?  I hope it rains because I don’t want to go to soccer practice tonight.  I don’t like to run.”

Their little voices could have told me stories all day.  I tried to listen as time allowed, but had to cut some of them short so as to stay on task.  That’s hard to do because once one of them gets your attention and tells you their little nugget of a story, then the rest see that you provided attention and a reaction, so assume you will do the same for their story. 

This was only four hours of my day yesterday, but as I sat in bed going over the day in my mind, I realized that we all want someone to just listen to us.  We don’t always need a solution or a huge reaction, but just an opportunity to be heard and be understood.

I find myself cutting off my own children because the phone rings or because I’m getting my shoes on or the cat just threw up.  What am I telling them?  I don’t have time for you right now?  That’s never my intent, but am sure it’s interpreted that way sometimes.  I’ve tried to say, “Let me finish this.  It will take three minutes then I can give you my full attention.”  Easier said than done.   It’s a good practice on paper, but in the midst of things it gets lost.  I need to be more mindful of them and just listen to their voices.  They need me to listen. I need to hear their voices.   Do you hear voices?