I was on the train one day commuting home last week after a long week of hard work, and on the way, I fell asleep. It was supposed to rain that week so the amount of items I carried felt like it overwhelmed me and as I slept, some of them fell. Immediately, I woke up and the lady beside me, who seeing and recognizing what had happened looked down and watched me pick up the items. I said, "Thank you" being slightly sarcastic and she in reply, "You're welcome", as though she did a random act of kindness. I was shocked by the audacity, she felt as though she accomplished something by watching me pick up my items as opposed to helping me pick them up. What happened to the spirit of brotherly love that thrived??? Has the "cold shoulder" become the common expression of being social?? I'm not sure but what was very peculiar to me was her action.
She didn't hear what happened, she listened, so much so that she was able to respond. Being a listener does not limit one to thought, speaking alone does that; listening opens up doors of wisdom for those who are willing to take initiative with it, be it helping someone who's dropped something or giving ear to the problem of someone. Listening is and can be as precious as gold for those who value the simplicity of the word.
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