Seen and Heard

There is short story I have never written that I will write someday.  In the world of my short story, when people talk and no one hears them, or when they walk through life and now one sees them, they start to disappear.  The people in this world become more and more invisible as they are not seen, heard, and appreciated.

Believe it or not, the same thing is happening in this world.  Not literally, but figuratively.  We all need to be seen and heard.  One of the tragedies of modern life is how desperately hard so many people are trying to be seen and heard.  Sadly, they are doing this via social media, and in doing so are forfeiting the opportunity to be present in the lives of the people around them.

One of the things I love about spending time in my fictional world is that the people in that world are present for each other.  They listen.  They empathize.  They participate.  They care. They deliver on their promises.

We can all be those kind of people.  It can be easy to get busy with our own lives and priorities, and lose sight of the people around us.  But everyone needs to seen and heard.  Everyone has stories to tell.  Everyone has insights that are valuable.

In all the noise of existence, taking time to stop and focus on someone and their story is the greatest gift you can give them.  And the greatest gift you can give yourself.  Because you never know whose story is exactly what you need to hear.

And you will miss that chance if you don't make the effort to stop, to see, to listen, and to hear.