Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

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August 5, 2008

Listening

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 6:57 am

Still Yourself and Hear the World

Yesterday morning, when I got to my computer, I could hear the rain outside.
I stopped to listen. I could hear the white noise around the air moving.
The sound was soothing, clear, and refreshing.
Outside and below, cars were rushing toward the city.
It was a whooshing sound of tires on the pavement. I didn’t have to look to know it.

In the kitchen, the coffeemaker began telling me that it was working.
I listened, then, to the quiet hummmmmm of the air conditioning.

I settled back in my desk chair just to listen.

Quiet, silence filled with sounds I don’t usually hear.
Raindrops sliding down a window, my heart beating, my eye blinking as I look at the harbor.

RainyMorning_by_Liz_Strauss


And last night a fabulous thunderstorm returned me to that peaceful, listening feeling.

What if we listened to each other like we listen to the rain?

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

Can you hear the Internet? Can the Internet Hear You?


Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |



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12 Comments to “Listening”

  1. August 5th, 2008 at 7:28 am
    Elaine B. said

    Would be nice, but much like the rain, we ignore each other. Only the smart ones listen…

  2. August 5th, 2008 at 7:31 am
    Marti said

    Ah, to listen with our heart, not just our ears…

    Lovely post, Liz! Thank you for sharing!

  3. August 5th, 2008 at 7:35 am
    Karl Staib - Your Work Happiness Matters said

    Very poetic. I’m a big fan of poetry, so this made me feel all soft.

    If we listened to others like they were rain this world would be a more gentle place.

  4. August 5th, 2008 at 7:48 am
    Barbara Nixon said

    As a life member and a past president of the International Listening Association (http://www.listen.org), I was delighted to read your blog post this morning. Great start to my day!

  5. August 5th, 2008 at 9:17 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Elaine!
    Maybe we just need to remember. :)

  6. August 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Marti!
    Our hearts listen in an entirely different way. Yeah.

  7. August 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Karl!
    Listening to the rain, does soften us some. :)

  8. August 5th, 2008 at 9:28 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Barbara!
    Thank you. Great to know about listen.org

  9. August 5th, 2008 at 12:39 pm
    Bamboo Forest said

    Interesting post.

    I wrote a short article a while ago that corresponds to this one.

    http://punintended.com/blog/an-unexpected-teacher/

    Cheers.

  10. August 5th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
    SpaceAgeSage said

    Listen to the rain, the brain, the stopping of the train, a trip down memory lane, a moment to regain the sane … all for listening to the rain.

    Lori

  11. August 5th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Hi Bamboo,
    Thanks for the wonderful link. I can see why you brought it!

  12. August 5th, 2008 at 8:14 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Lori,
    Your comment made me smile. :)

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