Listening
Photo © Jan Chipchase, Salt Lake City, 2007.
I have to admit that in the past few months I haven't been listening. I am not sure why, I just haven't. Apparently the sum of my precedent experiences allowed me to "get by" in my life. It suddenly changed last week in a dusty basement of a shooting range in Salt Lake City. I listened. Not only I listened, I also scrutinized every movement the man on the other side of the counter was doing. I was listening. I was learning. All this from someone I have nothing in common and most likely disagree with on every possible topic.
I am now trying to deconstruct and understand what happened. This experience was unprecedented and it had irreversible immediate consequences. These two parameters superseded all other contextual ones, and curbed my arrogance. What concerns me is that my life confronts me daily with experiences, which also have irremediable consequences. Consequences, I foolishly overlook and dismiss solely for their lack of immediacy. These make the bulk of my life and have a greater and longer lasting impact than my gun range adventure. As Jan Chipchase concluded in his TED talk, if we wish to remain relevant as individuals, professionals and communities, we need to learn to listen. I need to learn to listen.
