Thanks for Reading Suburban Adventure

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Im Listening So Go On

Everyone in my area of Fairfield County is in a panic over Hurricane Irene.  Im not exactly thrilled about it but I don't get hysterical either. As Giavanna and I walked into the supermarket at 7:00 am I quickly noticed the newspaper stand. It read "Monster Barreling toward the Northeast" and Giavanna gasped.

It was the perfect moment to discuss how the media-advertisers use information to sell papers and programs.  The paper grabbed our attention with the alarming headline and the advertising almost worked. However, we ignored the New York Post and opted for the New York Times. Im making Christopher read an article a day as I think children should get used to reading the paper daily.

As I waited in line with my batteries and various other items that I most likely will not be needing, I began listening to the woman behind us. She was chatting up a storm- no pun intended- about how her husband was away and she had the kids alone and was panicking… I smiled at her and told her she would be fine.
She began complaining about her husband to the woman behind her. I could tell she was latin so in Spanish I told her to stop complaining about her husband. I said it in a very jovial manner and she then told me that I made her day. She followed me out of Stop and Shop and told me her life story.  I managed to get away from her and made my way to the post office.

The line was very long in the post office and yet again hurricane chatter.. I smiled and told the woman behind me who was complaining that she too would be fine. "Your so calm, wow you must have a very helpful husband at home".  I smiled again and replied " Im alone with two children and I have to tend to my mother's home as well.  She then told me that I looked very nice and was so well put together at such an early time in the day.
All of these conversations that I have with people amaze me.  The minute I told her I was a single parent, I got the entire story of her daughter, her ugly divorce, her angry ex husband, the lawyer they used and it goes on and on and on.  I asked her if she was happily married to which she emphatically replied- "Im married but I have never been happily married".  Here we go… another story-I ended up chatting with her for forty minutes. I do not have the luxury of free time however when I meet a person that needs an ear or positive insight- I try to help them. I have traversed many of life's difficulties and I remain a very positive and optimistic, friendly person.  It makes a difference and it enables my ability to be successful.

I have often said that I should have been a psychiatrist or perhaps I was one in a past life. My desire to help people forge ahead and be happy is some sort of instinctual built in mechanism that is effortless. Im amazed at the number of people both men and women who are so quick to confide in me. Im happy that they have the premonition that I am a very closed lip person. I do not chatter about other's business and will take a secret to my grave with ease.

With that said, I hope that everyone survives the hurricane without too much anxiety.  It seems to me that problems and tragedies tend to unite people. We are all the same with similar struggles and similar worries and we all want to be heard. So listen to your friends, your family and the stranger that has the need to share a quick story with you. They may not be so fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about them. It will make all the difference to them and believe it or not, to you as well. xo

P.S. Don't forget to drag in your outdoor furniture
Click on link for a neat article about listening

http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/powerful-guide-to-active-listening/




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