The moments of speaking and someone actually listening to you (and I mean really listening, anyone can HEAR you) are so few and far between. They are caught up in their own lives, their own personal messes that it just seems to be a world where people don't really listen anymore. In one ear, out the other.

My daughter for instance, she hears me. In one ear and out the other. It takes 5 minutes tops before she is back to doing the next thing to annoy me. I can't really blame her, she is only 3. What is everyone else's excuse though?

I too am guilty of just hearing people. I shake my head, and smile. Then I walk away and think to myself "What the hell did he/she just say?".

Perfect example, my aunt called last week to keep me in the loop about their plans to take a trip to New York. Poor circumstances and I just wanted to make sure that my grandfather was taken care of while she was away. The conversation went something like this:

Aunt: "We are leaving on Friday around noon."

Me: "Okay..."

Aunt: "Your cousin is picking up Pop and bringing him to the party."

Me: "Uh huh."

Aunt: "And your dad will stay with him Sunday night."

Me: "Ah, gotcha. Thanks for keeping me in the loop."

I proceed to tell her all about the new puppies that are just a couple days old and all about the birth. We wish each other well and say goodbye.

So the next day I am talking to my mom and confirm she will be coming to the party. The conversation went like this:

Me: "Just wanted to make sure you're coming to the party still."

Mom: "Yes, it's at 2 right?"

Me: "Yep, but you'll have to leave early since you and dad are picking up Pop and bringing him."

Mom: "What? Oh I am going to kill him!! He is always doing stuff like this without asking. I need to go cool off. I will talk to you later!"

Me: "Um, okay."

Mom: "Click!"
(She hangs up the phone angrily)

So after she hangs up, I am thinking for a minute feeling like maybe I missed something. That's when the conversation between me and Aunt starts replaying in my head and I remember that it wasn't Dad picking up Pop, it was my cousin picking up Pop. Oops!

I call mom back in a frenzie. She isn't answering. I call dad to warn him of the unintentional wrath of crap coming his way. He isn't answering. All I am thinking is crap, this is what I get for not listening!!

But that's what I am talking about. How many times do we really listen to someone?? I mean remove all the distractions around us and within us to give someone our complete undivided attention?

Purposely try it sometime. You might be amazed how much you hear someone and how infrequently you actually listen. As I am writing this, I am thinking about how I need to get up and go get my daughter whatever the heck it is she asked for 10 minutes ago...Oops!