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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