The Kindness of a Listening Ear

"Listening is such a simple act.  It requires us to be present, and that takes practice, but we don't have to do anything else.  We don't have to advise, or coach, or sound wise. We just have to be willing to sit there and listen."
― Margaret J. Wheatley

In the checkout lane at the grocery store this evening, I overhead the cashier speaking to a customer.  She was sharing how she talked to her two-year-old about his father who had passed away.  The customer had a similar experience and they talked about how they deal with the challenges, including the questions from the children.  In addition to feeling sad for the cashier who looked quite young, I was amazed how these two women connected as one rang up the other's groceries.  The couple behind the customer stood silently as did I.  When it was my turn, the cashier also talked to me  -- not about the same subject, but about other less private aspects of her life.  "Thanks for listening," she said after I paid.

As I was leaving, I was thinking about a day earlier in the week when a friend called and we talked -- or rather I talked -- for a while.  At the end, I thanked her and said, "Guess I needed some human connection."  We all do.  And how lovely when we can benefit from the kindness of a listening ear.