Thought and Poem

Thought and Poem – September 9, 2014

There are so many people out in our communities that are going through major changes in their lives. Students are now back in school and deal with surmounting pressures from their peers…on top of the pressures to “look good,” “do well,” and “be good.” Many times, we truly do not know what goes on in their hearts and minds, because we don’t ask. If we do ask most times we really don’t listen. And, when we do by chance listen…how many of us “blow off” what they are trying to say by interjecting our own thoughts and opinions. Is it any wonder why our young ones have a hard time wanting to open up to us?

Then there are the aged and the lonely. Those in our communities that have “lived long and prospered,” but aging has brought on crippling diseases adding pains to their list of things they have to endure each day and many times…alone. How often when they find a listening ear from someone around them, that they too are “blown off,” and their words fall on deaf ears.

Even when we can’t change what a person is going through, young or old, we can change how they feel about themselves as these changes take over their lives. I don’t know about you, but I have seen in many, many, many ways, how “listening” can make a big difference. Just having a chance to say how you really feel, to empty your soul and to know someone else cares can mean a lot and brighten, even if just for a moment, the life of someone experiencing trials.

What about you? When your young ones come to you with their “woes” do you think that “children should be seen and not heard? Or do you try to make them feel what they say and what they go through is important to you? Same with the aging and in our homes and communities, do we give them a chance to express the desires of their hearts without rolling our eyes or brushing them off because we may have “heard” it before? Share your thoughts with us…Jeanne Claire Probst

Listening Can Make a Difference

It is always nice when you have a problem that someone lends a listening ear.

It is comforting to know you can confide in someone that lets you know they care.

It is hard at times to help people to understand exactly how it feels when trials we go through,

Unless they have been there, done that, and had the same experiences too.

Often people downplay our feelings by saying, “Oh, things can’t be that bad.”

We hold back our tempers and try not to let them know what they are saying this is making us mad.

How do they know what it truly feels like to endure what we are going through?

I mean really, they wouldn’t know unless they have actually spent time walking in our shoes.

They really need to stop blocking us from saying what we need to say

And let us talk about all the situations we are facing today.

As it will help us to take a load off our chest

As just knowing someone is listening helps put the trials momentarily to rest.

Care enough to listen all night long if others need us too…

Care enough to stop by to see if there is a chore others would like us to do…

Care enough to make a meal for others when you can…

Care enough to let others know we want to be their friend and that we will listen.

Jeanne Claire Probst

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