Life Outside Social Media

"I have something to say. Can you listen?" 

     One thing I've always prized about myself is that I always make people feel heard. There's not a single close friend who hasn't told me that I'm a great listener throughout the course of our relationship. While lending an ear seems like a passive skill,  it's something that makes me feel actively selfless and nurturing to the people I care about. Intimate one-on-one interactions with me often turn into therapy sessions for some people because my strong willingness to listen immediately paves that foundation for trust. 

     The more I learn about the impact of active listening in the nursing practice, the more I hone my therapeutic communication skills — whether it's with a long-time friend or an ordinary acquaintance. Whoever it may be, I always remember everyone's stories down to the most minute details because that's what I do — I listen. But nobody really knows my story other than one of my best friends since junior high who has read nearly every single personal piece I've penned. 

     An empty text box or a piece of paper has been, and will probably always be, the ears I trust the most. The best way I can communicate my thoughts — and more importantly, my feelings — has consistently been through writing. No matter how many workshops I've engaged in or communication techniques I've learned, my words will never be nearly as articulate and vulnerable as the ones I compose in a heartfelt letter or an introspective reflection. 

     Unlike others who use journaling as an outlet for self-expression solely for their own safekeeping, my underlying intention is to share pieces of my story either to a particular individual or an audience — depending on whether it's a personal note or a public post. When I write something that I make available to anyone other than myself, it's my way of saying, "I have something to say. Can you listen?" 

     On occasional moments when a loved one eagerly asks when my next blog post will be posted or readily wants to read my letters addressed to them, it makes me feel entirely heard. Although my densely inundated mind has got a lot to say, I rarely have the desire to be listened to, but when I do — I will write — and whoever receives my vulnerable words openly without judgment is someone who I know truly cares. 

     I'm willingly all ears for anyone who needs them, but sometimes I just need someone's eyes to hear me out. 

Wednesday, March 7, 2019
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CONVERSATION

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