Story time...

It's seems a lot of us are obsessed with getting our 15 minutes of fame.  Hell, look at all those folks clambering to get on one of those pathetic reality TV shows, or the thousands of duck-face photos you see posted all over Facebook, and let's not forget those self-righteous bloggers who seem to think they have all the answers.  ;-)

We spend more time running off at the mouth rather than engaging our ears.  Sad when you think about it because there are so many wonderful stories out there we never get to hear because we won't shut up for two minutes.  There's a quote that goes something like this, "before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes."  Smarmy folks need not correct me on content or origin.  The point I'm trying to make is that to walk a mile in someone's shoes means to listen to and understand their story.  Unfortunately we're too quick to judge that book based merely on it's cover without ever turning a page.   

The first gesture towards forging any relationship is to understand the journey that a person has traveled throughout their life.  Seems to be straight forward but I suspect most of us don't do a real good job of trying to understand those we meet.  How can we appreciate someone without knowing their history?  I would argue we're more likely to share our story long before listening to others.  It doesn't mean we're bad people.  We all want to be understood and let's face it, we're all better talkers than listeners.  But putting the focus on us dims the light that shines from others.  Our journey through life will include obstacles and hardships.  How we respond to them is a matter of choice and that choice determines our character and how we choose to embrace life, whether we want to be happy or miserable.  Even if the details of someone's life is hard to hear it still makes that person endearing if only for the simple reason that every one of us has a story, a very unique story and it's that story that makes everyone of us special.  

I know some folks don't like to share the details of their lives and they make every effort to keep walls up around them so life doesn't intrude.  It's tough, I know, because there are a lot of folks out there that will mock you or take advantage of you because of your story.  So it's a matter of trust.  Finding someone that wants to hear your story and appreciate and respect you for it isn't always an easy thing to do.  Insecurity and fear makes it difficult to take that leap.  I've been fortunate enough in my life to have met some folks that have trusted me with their story.  In all cases I've learned so much more about the capacity to endure, about perseverance, the depths of their resolve and the real meaning of courage.  I can't help but admire and respect them for who they are. 

So take the time to listen.  I mean really listen to the stories of those around you.  I guarantee you'll find them more fascinating than anything coming out of Hollywood or splashed across your TV screen.