Listening

“My wife talks non-stop. Sometimes I find it hard to keep track of what she is saying” said Shiva.

“Have you ever stopped her and asked the meaning of what she has just said?” asked Dharshan.

“I don’t bother. I just let her talk and switch off” said Shiva.

“But there may be important things that you should know”, said Dharshan.

“I just have to live with her so I let her talk. I have learnt the art of switching off so I have my peace of mind” said Shiva.

“But that is not good. Both of you are married to each other and you promised to love and honour. So that means that you must also listen to each other” said Dharshan.

“Did you know that there is such a thing as Active Listening? That means that you listen carefully and try to understand and even pipe in where necessary” chimed in Mariam.

“I didn’t know. I am glad I shared my situation with you because now I know that I must not just switch off and move into my own world” said Shiva.

“You can also ask her to try and cut down on the details if they are unnecessary. But keep in mind that little things like what your child said may be important” said Dharshan.

“I think I need to concentrate more on my family life so that each one of us values it" said Shiva.

“If only all husbands and wives thought like you then the families will be happier. I also think that smartphones have contributed to the breakdown of communication within the family unit” said Mariam.