Listen.

Surfing through spiritual blogs might not be everyone's idea of a good time, but gems pop up now and then that are worth pondering.

Ponder, reflect, think, meditate . . . try it. It won't shorten your To-do list, but you'll be better at whatever you do for having paused.

Get this one from The wounded healer by Ann M Weatherley-Barton

Listening is probably the most important thing we can do when being alongside people in great need. Active listening is absolutely vital. Have you ever sat down with someone and talked to them about yourself and before you have got the last word out, they have the answer for you? Biblical verse at the ready? Frightens the life out of me! Listening while your brain is working over-time to find the answer and sometimes almost any answer will do as long as you say something? Active listening is a skill that can be acquired. It is the lynchpin of long-term caring. If you do not actively listen to people you will never be able to really help people at a deep level. Active listening is not just about concentrating on what someone is saying but more about learning to enter into someone else’s life and really hear their pain and their anguish. It is not about us and hidden agendas but about the person we are listening to. Active listening is about putting the needs of someone else first. It is not about the act of hearing the sound of our own voice as pearls of wisdom are dished out!