LISTENING

Never speak with your mouth full,
my mother would say.
there is a time to speak and
a time to listen.
A time to hear and
a time to be heard
There is a time to eat and
a time to speak.

Learning to find balance
in our conversations with others
is about respect and honor.
It is about recognizing that
we each have something to say
and creating space for all to speak
and be heard.

It is more than just not speaking,
it is also about listening.
It is about hearing what is said and
not thinking about what we want to say next.
It is about learning to be okay
with moments of silence
as we process and reflect
before speaking

May we take the time to listen,
to think,
to speak,
and to create balance
in our conversations