As most of you know, I’m losing my hearing so I miss a lot of the conversations that go on around me. I can’t really enjoy a television show, because it’s hard to determine the plot when you can’t hear the words. My husband is starting to experience some hearing loss as well, so our conversations have become not only interesting, but at times comical.
We don’t realize how important our senses are until we begin to losethem. Listening is different than hearing and is one of those things that can be selective. We can choose what we want to hear. We can sift through the muck and pick up what we hoped to hear. We can ignore the really important things and focus only on the things that apply to us.
The art of being a good listener is slowly fading from our existence. We’re being fed so much information electronically, through the news media, the cacophony of outside “noise” that it makes us crazy and impossible to listen. Our minds act like sieves, sifting through it all and trying to make sense of it.
Unfortunately, when we fail to really listen, we can miss some important stuff. A child may have some important words to share about being teased at school. A teen may have feelings of depression or worthlessness. An older child is struggling with decisions about their future and you have tuned them out in deference to a sporting event or the news.
When your life becomes so filled with outside distractions, it’s time to sit down and look at what God has to say about listening.
James 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”
Proverbs 12:15 “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. “
Ecclesiastes 3:7 “A time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak.”
Proverbs 18:13 “”If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.”
When we take the time to actually listen to someone, we are opening our ears to true discernment.
if I put you and Gregory in a room together—there is no doubt that comic relief would reign supreme as to the plethora of confused words….
but then again, the television would be turned up so loud, I’d have to leave the room!!!
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Ha ha. Maybe we should switch husbands.
Paul always says the tv is too loud.
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Amen! Learning to be a good listener is so important. And being listened to can make all the difference in the world. Often people just need to be heard and that alone fixes everything.
My husband has always had issues with hearing,but it gets worse as he gets older. So I pretty much have to yell at him. Than he gets mad because he thinks I’m yelling at him. It’s just really hard to raise your voice with just the right kind tone 🙂
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Haha, I know how he feels. My husband hollers at me all the time. Good thing I have a thick skin.
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Kathy,
I’m right there with you and Paul. I have been wearing hearing aids for the last 10 years at least. Closed captioning is always on when I watch any program. My hearing aids can also ‘Bluetooth’ with the TV when necessary. Have you explored hearing aids? I recommend Costco for the exam (free) and their aids.
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I have checked into hearing aids and our insurance only covers $500. Can’t really afford them. Not that I’m too proud to wear them.
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I certainly understand the cost implications. Our insurance AARP, pays for our aids, but I tried them and they weren’t very good. So I went back to Costco and paid the difference.
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I love your posts, Kathy. And I especially relate to this one. My husband is severely hard of hearing but he hates to wear his new $6,000 pair of digital hearing aids, which were provided for him for free, courtesy of the US government, because he is a 100% disabled war veteran. I also have some hearing loss, but unfortunately I cannot easily afford hearing aids, as I am not a veteran, only the wife of.
Our conversations are interesting…
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We muddle through but still get a few laughs out of it❤️
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