Sit

Sit your narrow behind down and listen…

-EVERY SINGLE PARENT OF COLOR, and some that aren’t…

Back in what seems like a lifetime ago, I jokingly told a co worker I remember fondly that one day I would write a book. The quote above is a version of the title.

From time to time she would be in my office and I would say the title and we would laugh out loud (no points to you if you thought lol). She would say things like “what if they’re behinds aren’t narrow?” I’d laugh and say things like those people should listen harder.

The point though- sometimes we need to not talk at all. We need to listen. Listen hard. Listen with conviction. Listen passionately.

When I say my prayers I specifically ask for assistance I’m listening to understand and to not listen to respond.

Listening doesn’t always mean hearing what a person says. You’ve probably heard that there is a higher percentage of communication is non verbal than verbal. So this means we must pay attention to more than the words people use.

How often do you find it difficult to say exactly what you mean? I’m the way you would like to say it? At the time you’d like to say it?

If you ever find it difficult for yourself, understand that people might have a hard time doing so as well.

When I’m listening, I try to ask questions to help the speaker sharpen the focus of the thought and idea they are sharing with me.

I hope this idea helps you one day…