Listen

When I ask you to listen to me
and you start giving advice
You have not done what I asked.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why I should not feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have to do something to solve my problems,
you have failed me, strange as it may seem.

Listen! All I asked was that you listen
Not talk or do - just hear me
and I can do for myself; I am not helpless
maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself,
you contribute to my fear and weakness.

But when you accept the simple fact that I do feel what I feel,
no matter how irrational, then I quit trying to convince you
and can get about the business of understanding what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious, and I do not need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what is behind them.

Perhaps that is why prayer works sometimes for some people,
because God is mute and does not give advice, or try to fix things,
"They" just listen and let you work it out for yourself.

So please listen and just hear me
and if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn;

And I will listen to you.

Author unknown