Shhh...Just Listen

Have you ever noticed how so many people are quick to offer "their 2cents worth" when they have the chance?...It doesn't matter if someone asked for it or not, but they always seem to interject, none the less. This got me to thinking, maybe, just maybe it is better to sometimes not say anything, but just listen. When I was "doin time" in the nursing home, a 90 yr old man told once, he said "Boy, you know whats wrong with this world?"..and before I could offer up my opinion, he told me..."There are way too many talkers, and not enough listeners!"...he went on to tell me, "Hell, I made it through 2 wars (WWII & Korea), by doin 2 things, I kept my mouth shut and my ears open." The old man said he always went where they told him, did what they told him, and shot wherever they told him to shoot, in other words, he just listened. This strategy worked for him, as he survived both wars and went on to retire from the Army, "20 years of listening" he would say to me. This habit stayed with him for the remainder of his life, as he did not talk very often ( although he opened up to me quite a bit, as I am an avid listener) so when he spoke, it was worth hearing what he had to say. This got me to thinking, how much better would the world be, if more folks listened, rather than talking so much?  By listening to someone speak, we can learn alot about that person. Their vocabulary is usually an indicator of what type of person you are dealing with. Their outlook on worldly topics, race, religion, etc...is a direct line into their mind and that makes it easier for you to decide whether or not that person is someone you want to be associated with or not. But something else that comes along with listening, a person will really reveal themselves through conversation, good or bad. So the next time someone comes to you in need of help, you must first find out the problem they are having, and if you dont have anything worthwhile to offer them, do the next best thing...Shhh...Just Listen...Til next time...Peace...Love...and  Happiness