Listen
No, not that listen-for-the-next-opportunity-to-interrupt kind of listening.
Nor that listen for my next opportunity to sell you my favourite treatment, my favourite modality, my favourite, favourite kind of fix.
Just, listen.

Nope, not listen so I can tell you what’s wrong with you listening.
Not listen so I can tell you what you should /should not do who you should / should  be who you should not be listening
Because there is no list
and there is no should in listening.
Listening doesn’t should baby,
should, baby.
should baby, baby.
Just shut the f-ck up and listen,
baby.

Not the kind of listening that’s about jumping-in with my war story – upping yours with mine- listening.
No: not that kind of listening.
Just shut up and listen
Listen

Not that #fakelistening, either.
Not that working so hard to remember the list of what somebody says  listening looks like
that
I forget to actually listen
listening.
Not, not that mentally-ticking-off-a-shopping-list-of-things-to-do-to-make-me-look-like-I’m-listening listening
– that means I’m  actually doing everything but
actually listen.

Not that listening.
Just shut the f#ck up and listen, listen.

Try instead some of these…

Listening  so you feel listened to..
listening in a way that lets me imagine for a moment what its like being you
listen in a way I feel some of THAT pain
listen to what’s in me fighting that…
to what’s in me wanting to do anything right now
-but listen
real, hard, actual just shut the fuck up and listen listen
listen as a way of healing- healing me
listen as a way of healing bringing together
listen as an act of generosity
listen like you life depended on it
– because it might
listen because you can.
because you choose to.

“If you want to learn how to listen
try listening with your bones.”

Listen like you remember
– like you remember how it was
when you felt listened to…