Listening With Empathy

"Most people do not listen with the intent to understand: they listen with the intent to reply." ~ Stephen R. Covey Politics, coronavirus, masks, black lives matter…..these words exhaust and overwhelm me mentally. These are important conversation pieces, but the majority feel as if their personal belief on these matters are the only correct perspectives. Too often, many of these conversations result in name calling and belittling. But why? These conversations are needed to be discussed and ones in which we should listen to from others to further to understand outside of our own world. We should be able to discuss these important conversations, but too often I have discovered that many have the inability to do so in a respectful manner. We cannot continue the path we are on, it is dividing us as a country instead of unifying us through this difficult time in many of our lives. There will always be multiple sides to all issues, but we must all stop