Listening

How we affect others in our lives. What is our responsibility toward others and how we affect their lives. As you live your life with all the agendas that are out there-- God, family, job, friends, children, exercise, diet, organization, personal education, personal growth, relaxation--how do you then keep up with and be fully aware of those around you and how you affect their lives for good. We touch people with our lives daily, hourly whether we are aware or not, sometimes we think we touch and influence others but we have very little influence and we just aren't aware of that either.

I've begun to look at who influences, hurts (unintentionally), changes me ...who I LET influence me for good or for bad, and then I wonder who influences me with out my knowledge.

Then that begs the question--if I'm really in control of my life how do I control those influences that come into my life but also the kind of influence I have in other people's lives.

I've always been told "do unto others as you would have done unto you" a good philosophy to live by generally. Until you ask yourself "do I know whats good for me or what I'd like done unto me if I'm in need a solid reprimand? And when is it the "right" time to "gently" give a stern warning to yourself or others that they are being destructive or harmful? It seems to be a job for someone more powerful, knowledgeable than I for the most part. But even as I say that I can hear myself saying "what a wimp, what a lazy way of looking at things" I'm can be responsible for and be aware of others needs without being Herculean.

I'm at a point in my life where the "agendas" have lessened, no husband, grown children who have their own life, pretty solid job, dependence on God (a job that is never complete, huh?) so now I wonder about others and their walk on terra firma, how is it for them and what can I do to help others who can't, don't or aren't aware that there is help out there. That there is someone else out there who is knows about hurt and wants it to be different for others.

So what brought about these thoughts?
A book of course, a powerful book for teens, who don't think about the influences they have on others and the power they have to influence others.

13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher--a pretty powerful book about influences and how we react to those seemingly small influences that affects us in different ways. A book about not giving up on yourself or others--that people can change, can weather hurts that we all sustain with help if we will only cry out for help and someone is willing to listen.

I wanna be a listener.