Stop, Look, Listen

Anyone who follows my blog knows that I am not a regular blogger. I can't be. I've tried, but my mind doesn't work that way. I know some people who are very consistent. For me, I write when I have something on my mind that I want to share. I do not share everything on my mind. Some thoughts don't need to be spoken, just understood.

I find it odd that I learn new things about myself almost daily. Just in the little things I do, I surprise myself by how much I am changing. Not drastically, but subtly, in all kinds of ways.

Typically, I would label myself as an extrovert, social person. I love being around people, I love my friends, and I love having a good time. But I've noticed the older I've gotten the less I crave it. I don't know if I would label myself as an introvert, but I am definitely not as outgoing as I used to be. Maybe the correct term would be a "shy extrovert". We'll just call it that.

When I'm in group settings, I really don't try squeeze in my stories or opinions anymore. I'm not saying I don't, I'm just saying that it's not as important to me as it used to be. Now, I do not mean that like "No one cares about what I have to say,".  Not at all.  I just think there's something to be said about listening.

Now I am not saying that it's a bad thing to be an outgoing person who just loves to talk.  I am not saying that at all!!!  Ha ha, God knows how many people I've bored with my rants and stories. (;

I'm just saying that I think there's beauty in listening and watching people (as creepy as that may sound). I love watching people when they talk about something that they love, or seeing how they react when someone else is talking.  You learn so much just by sitting in silence.

"Know this, my dear brothers and sisters: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to grow angry."  James 1:19

Let's be honest, I love to talk.  But I also love to listen.  I think those two things really go hand in hand and should be well proportioned.  I don't think you should have too much of one and not enough of the other. I really believe you need both to make any kind of impact.

I'm still growing in this area.  I'm still learning when I need to speak up, and also when I need to just stop talking all together. I need to listen when people are telling me things, whether for my benefit or whether they just need to rant.  I need to be that listening ear for them.  On the other hand, I can't share my faith or what I feel God needs them to know if I'm not brave enough to speak out loud.  I need both to be effective.