Lately I’ve had the chance to learn what it is like to not be heard.
My phone rings
I answer.
“Hello,…hello?”
I reply.
“He-lloo…hello. Can you hear me? I can’t hear you…”
I continue to reply.
“WELL, I can’t hear anything—“
CLICK
I call them back and they answer, “Hello”
I begin to speak and
“HELLO?”
CLICK
It has been a couple of days this way as I wait for a new phone to arrive and my family and friends have adjusted. It goes like this:
“Hello, I know you can’t answer so I am going to hope you can hear me. I’m calling to let you know…”
And I listen and then act as best I can to the information given.
It makes me think about two things.
First, those who are unable to respond for one reason or another to the world around them. I have tried to pray for a few people I know who are in that position as I experience the frustration of not being able to respond. I’ve noticed that I am receiving far less calls. Why try if I can’t talk to them? I think to myself how often I’ve chosen to skip time spent to speak to someone who cannot respond. I didn’t think about the fact that they might like to be spoken to, to be noticed, to be loved, even just to hear a friendly “hello!”. My condition is temporary; when my new phone gets here I will again have a voice. But the people I know shall continue in theirs, possibly for the rest of their lives.
Second, is I am learning to listen. I am being forced to hear first and act later. Instead of putting in my opinions, my thoughts, my agenda, I am simply listening to the person who took time out of their day to speak to me.
So during this time of silence I am praying to remember:
1. Stop and speak to those who are unable to respond instead of passing by. Pray for those who are hindered that the Lord will speak directly to their hearts.
2. Take time to listen. Think about what is being shared. Hold my tongue and actions until the person has finished.
My friends, family, and I have been inconvenienced by this problem with my phone. I have had to put off some tasks and readjust but I am sure that it has been a worthwhile problem. For now I know a little of what it is like to be
Silent.
patientlyhopeful 