“You need to let the little things that would ordinarily bore you suddenly thrill you.” (Andy Worhol)
As the years of our commitment to listening approach a decade, this little thing we do – listen – is a perfect example of Worhol’s insight.
Listening hardly bores folks in our group and yet we all know that what we do, ‘just listen,’ is not the most common offering in our Western culture. We also know that when someone we listen to feels heard, they are ‘thrilled’ in some manner of speaking. Sometimes our guests are obviously thrilled to be listened to and sometimes it is more subtle, but noticeable, that they have been touched.
I looked up the etymology of ‘thrill’ and it comes from Old English word that meant ‘to perforate or pierce.’ Learning that actually thrilled me! It struck me that the thrill of this little and often overlooked thing, listening, is reciprocal: the listener and the listenee are both pierced by the experience.
Compared to many of my letters to you, this one is little. Still, I hope it’s littleness suddenly thrills you. What is the latest thrill you have had in your listening practice? You will have an opportunity to share it this coming Tues, 10/24, (6-8pm) at our Monthly Volunteer Meeting.
yours in the listening,
Avie & Marcia