Sometimes someone will share their feelings with you, but when they finish speaking, you realize they aren't necessarily looking for advice. They just wanted to find someone who would listen and try to understand them. Sometimes we rush to respond without even taking the time to understand what the other person is going through.
Someone might tell you they’ve had a tough day, and you might respond, Forget about it—it’s no big deal. You might think you’re encouraging them, but that person might feel like you’re downplaying their problems. This shows us that kind words aren’t always enough when they aren’t accompanied by active listening and understanding.
Not everyone expresses their feelings in the same way. Someone who smiles all the time may be keeping things to themselves, while a quiet person may have many stories they don’t know who to tell. That’s why we shouldn’t judge someone based solely on their appearance or on a few words we’ve heard.
True listening isn't just about waiting for the other person to finish speaking so you can respond. You have to give them time, understand their point of view, and respect their feelings. Even if you don't agree with their opinion, you can still try to understand why they see things that way.
In my opinion, one of the best things you can do for someone isn't always to solve their problems, but rather to make them feel that they have someone willing to listen. A person who often feels misunderstood may eventually choose to remain silent, even though they still keep many things bottled up inside.
I think we all need to learn to listen more carefully to others, instead of always thinking about what we're going to say in response.
And what do you think: Is it more important for a person to have someone who gives them advice, or someone who truly understands how they feel?
image edited with chatgpt
Translated from Somali to English with the help of ChatGPT and DeepL
