I HEAR YOU

There is a difference between hearing and listening.

No matter how many times something is said, no matter how many times something is explained, re-explained, and examples are given — we might hear something, but are we truly listening? Too often our hearing can be patronizing, especially when we are set in our ways or already know what we are going to do.

Listening happens when we put forth the effort to understand and let something fully consume us.

We have been hearing our black, brown and other communities of color talk, yell, scream, cry for far too long. In the last week, many of us white folx finally started listening.

Listening is the first step to catalyze change. It requires our focus, our commitment, and our intent. Otherwise, we are just hearing.

In order to truly listen, we have to make a conscious effort, have a focused involvement, and adjust our internal behavior of mind and body.

When we truly listen and open our eyes to see, we will often discover things that we might have been avoiding.

HEARING IS AN ACT OF LOVE.