Lend Me Your Ear…

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

I like to think of myself as a loyal friend and an active listener. And by active, I don’t mean the polite nodding while mentally composing a grocery list. I listen to understand. I hear the words, the pauses, the tone, and the stuff that’s being said without being said at all.

Living in a house with four humans and one four-legged adult (I swear she’s human) means things get loud and busy fast. My radar is always on, tuned to everyone’s frequency. If you need me, I’m there—ready to respond. Are there days when I miss things? Of course. Distractions happen. But for the most part, I’m on duty. Always.

The problem is, not everyone’s ears are open.

Screens are permanently attached to noses, and AirPods seem to be surgically implanted into ear canals. A solid 65% of the things I say are met with, “When did you tell me that?” or my personal favorite, “I must have missed that one.” Really? Fascinating.

As a result, I’ve evolved. I now document important information in the family group chat. If someone claims they missed the visual cue, I send a screenshot. Evidence. Receipts. Occasionally, I go full Super Snark and call one of the residents while they are literally in the same room as me. Is it obnoxious? Yes. But so is being ignored.

Which brings me back to this morning. Coffee in hand, planning the rest of my day, I offered to make resident number one another cup. Silence. No response. So I poured my own.

Moments later, I hear, “I’d love another cup.”

Ah yes. The echo of a moment too late.

And that’s really the thing, isn’t it? We hear plenty, but we don’t always listen. Not fully. Not intentionally. Not in a way that makes someone feel seen, valued, or even mildly acknowledged in their own kitchen.

So here’s my ask—simple and maybe a little overdue: lend me your ear. Put the screen down. Pause the podcast. Take the AirPod out. Because listening—real listening—might just be the greatest gift we can give one another. And I promise, the coffee tastes better when it’s heard the first time. ☕👂

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Author: KikiFikar

Kiki Fikar is a native New Yorker who is passionate about taking the day to day life we all experience and sharing it in her tales from Suburbia. She will often be found at the gym, writing snippets each day for future story lines, listening to her two children create their lives, and building the perfect beachfront home and writing retreat in her mind.

20 thoughts on “Lend Me Your Ear…”

  1. I love this and it is so true. We all need to remember to really listen when people speak. Sometimes they really need us and sometimes they want to do something nice for us…BTW…I will always hear you wjen you ask if I want a second cup of coffee ☕️ 😉

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  3. Karen,You are right- Listening is a gift. It’s the only thing that actually makes a house feel like a home rather than just a collection of people sharing a Wi-Fi signal -roof – basics !
    Thank you for the reminder to take the AirPods out. I’m tucked in here, fully tuned to your frequency, and I’m definitely not mentally writing a grocery list… or another post 🤗❤️

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  5. i read a book this summer where the lady was talking about listening to the person’s “drop” moment. it’s a word, or the way a sentence is said, etc. just like the way you listen. it was a new approach for me and a rewarding one. so cool that you listen with intention Karen. i know it’ll come back to you! Mike

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  7. Thanks Mike!! I like to try. Like I said I know I miss things but I really try. Hope you are having the best weekend. Thankfully this morning’s snow did not stick around!

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Calling people while they’re in the same room as you 😂 Love it! Gotta steal.

    (Somehow disable caller ID)
    Ring… Ring…
    (no caller ID)
    “Wait, hang on, I better get this… hello?”
    (From the couch 4 feet away, make eye contact)
    “So we’re eating at 6… right?” 😂🤣

    Liked by 3 people

  13. Haaaaa!!! I love vulnerability. Listen I know I am guilty of this! I’m also coming off of a two week period of being at home for the holidays. Perhaps my sense of urgency was a bit heightened! Lol.

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Your comment about screens attached to noses and AirPods sounds familiar. 🤦🏻‍♂️ At least my four-legged friend is an active listener, especially when he hears the bag with his snacks opening. 🐶

    Liked by 1 person

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