KindSpring is a place where people can post short accounts of acts of kindness around the world. Here are two short accounts.
The fact that they’re on listening is hugely welcome. Their editor says precisely what I’d say.
Her Quiet Sit On A Park Bench, Has Become A Place of ‘Therapy’ For Passers-By
–by Mish, KindSpring.org, posted Apr 22, 2017
https://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=133246
Editor’s note: Healers worldwide have long understood the miraculous healing power of deep, compassionate listening. Listening forms the core of psychotherapy. Everyone has an innate desire to be “heard” but we spend most of our time “hearing” formulating our own responses, rather than being truly present and listening. Deep listening requires learning and patience but the rewards are truly rich as this week’s stories help illustrate. -Ameeta
The past two days, when I sit on a bench after my park walk, an acquaintance comes over to sit by me and needs to ‘vent’ about something that is apparently troubling him. He goes on and on, and sometimes repeats himself. I listen patiently and let him vent. He thanks me for letting him vent and apologizes. I tell him no apologies necessary, that we all need to be listened to.
I am learning as I listen, as some of what is irking him helps me understand some similar things that sometimes irk me as well.
I also like thinking that by sitting there on that bench in the sunshine on a glorious park day, I am getting an extra kindness act in by listening and occasionally sharing some thoughts with him that might help him.
“There are times that all you need is someone who will listen to you without judging you — not telling you what you should have done or should do, but simply, listening to you” ― Bernard Kelvin Clive
She Ran To Give an Elderly Man Back His Walking Cane, And Received Far More In Return
–by brindlegirl, KindSpring.org, posted Apr 23, 2017
https://www.kindspring.org/story/view.php?sid=133391
I met a man yesterday. Didn’t get his name. And I’m confident, I’ll probably never ever see him again. And that’s ok. The purpose of our meeting, it’s destiny, and it’s fate, was fulfilled in the 5 minutes we spoke.
He was an elderly man. Quite elderly. I’d say with no more than a few years left in him, on this earth. If he’s lucky.
I didn’t see him at first. Had to search for him. Search for the owner of a very worn and old wooden walking stick, which was left half hanging outside of a shopping cart.
I called out to a man who was walking away. I knew it was his. Had to be. It was. And he returned (slowly) to get it.
I was in a friendly mood so started a conversation. And that’s when it happened. That’s when this man blessed me, with his story. And what a story.
I stood outside the supermarket with him for 10 minutes. Just listening. Just witnessing this man and his life. And that’s all he wanted. To be heard. To be seen. To SHARE HIS STORY. And his life. To know that his 90 something years on this planet had mattered.
They did.
As I stood there listening to this man share his heartache and pain over losing his first wife during childbirth to his only son. And then later his joys of raising this son on his own, and traveling the world. To finally ending in true love where he married a childhood sweetheart. This story. His story. Is all our stories.
We all suffer. We all grieve. We all love.
We all yearn to be loved. We lose love. We find love. And we all want to know that it mattered. That our life mattered.
At the end of our conversation this elderly man clasped both of my hands in his, raised them up to his heart, looked me in the eyes and thanked me. Thanked me like I’ve never been thanked before. So sincerely. So heartfelt.
He thanked me for listening and allowing him share his story. And then he turned around and walked away. Forever.
I needed to sit down after this. It was almost too much. This man. This dear man had just gifted me with a gift so precious – him. His life. His story. Who he was. What he was. And something so deeply intimate.
As he walked away a feeling so strong washed over me. And I heard a voice. A voice of God maybe. A voice that told me he was at peace now. That he could happily leave this world now. Knowing that his story mattered. Knowing that HE mattered. That someone had heard him. Seen him. Listened. And witnessed.
Strangers are never strangers if you open your heart to them. Often they are angels in disguise. Waiting to bless you or to be blessed.
Yesterday I was both. An angel to this man, yet at the same time, blessed by him.
Open your heart. Connect with others. Listen. Share. It’s what we are all here for 💗