“Active
listening” is undoubtedly a basic skill while teaching other people how to be
more empathetic to their fellows. Indeed keeping in touch with others still
remains the overall object. The following example had been a personal
experience: It was morning and I had a
cup coffee while preparing a speech about “active listening” when a friend
phoned to ask me to check an article that he was planning to publish and give him
my opinion. I said “yes” to him and continued working on my project. It was later
that I realized I had completely forgotten my friend’s request…
I thought
about this incident for a little while and then I asked myself an honest
question: “We try hard to get further
education on “active listening”, “empathy”, and “communication skills” but how
ready are we to meet other people and spend time with them in order to “consider
their different views”? And if we can’t find time to meet our grandparents,
friends and students etc. so when we can meet “another” person to practice our
communication skills? And finally, are we ready and available to “listen actively”
while we are engaged to certain activities of our daily routines?”
These
questions don’t have a mind to judge our intentions. Of course, someone who
wants to learn more about communication skills and especially “active
listening” has certain positive motivations as the result of interest on his
fellows. But this does not mean that people who are not interested in being
taught these verbal skills are not so “good” or “empathetic”. In fact there are
many ways to practice “empathy” and “understanding” including touch and
non-verbal communication. I was just wondering why we should practice “isolated”
skills while we could plan our lives in a different way so as to be -in a more
“physical” way- near our families and friends, having true eye contact with
them, sharing our problems with them, practicing empathy, openness and support
instead of being busy or silent and feeling desperate or alone…
But what
features of our daily routines make it difficult for the “different views” to
be included?
