Ash
Wednesday
February
17, 2021
Listening
With All Our Heart, Soul, Strength, and Mind
by
Lisa Saunders
The
word “listen” contains the same letters as the word “silent.”
—Alfred Brendel.
One
year for Lent I gave up yelling at my children.
They were ten, eight, and four. My volume control was no
longer under control. I raised my voice far too often, making none of us happy.
I told our children the plan. They were thrilled and took great pleasure in
holding me accountable.
Of all the Lenten disciplines I have taken on through the
years, this one stuck. I broke a bad habit. I had been yelling because no one
appeared to be listening to me. As it turned out, the less I yelled, the more
they heard me. And I found I was better at listening to them. It surprised me
to realize that being good at listening is not just about hearing what someone
says. It is also about how my listening makes someone else feel.
Ash Wednesday is the start to a season inviting us to set
aside or stop whatever gets in the way of our listening well. The letters in
the word “listen” can be rearranged to spell “silent.” I am not any good at
silence. But I don’t think God yells, so if I want to hear God, I must get
quiet. It is lovely to imagine that I might delight God by the way I listen.
Listening is essential for the development of intimacy,
trust, healing, and wisdom. Listening to our loved ones (heart), to our
longings (soul), to our body (strength), and to our insight (mind) are all
forms of prayer and listening to God. I find that God speaks to me most often
through other people, but I also hear God’s voice in my gut, in my bliss, and
in my ounce of common sense.
Listening with our heart, soul, strength, and mind has
restorative powers. Some pain cannot be taken away, but hurt that is heard can
be eased. When we listen with a desire to understand and appreciate, we unfurl
and expand. The woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment was healed of her
disease. She also got to tell Jesus “the whole truth.” That he listened to her
story likely healed her soul, as well. My two favorite Lents were those that I
was on maternity leave. I didn’t take on any special Lenten practice, although
I sacrificed sleep and sanity all forty days. I spent those Lents falling in
love, nestling a grapefruit-sized head against my heart. I am spending this
Lent nuzzling the head of my infant grandson. I am listening for his fretful
cries, contented coos, and still, small voice. If I am quiet enough, I will
hear the love between us flowing like a rushing river.
Living
Well Through Lent 2021
Copyright
©2021 Scott Stoner. All rights reserved.
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