A blank page in front of you is so daunting……….
You think of all the words you know and somehow you can’t fit them together to make a single sentence. Is it that we have TOO much to say?!! Or…nothing at all. I started feeling like the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz without a brain as I sat here trying to decide what topic Monday would bring.
As I was scratching my head with “nary a thought”, my sweet dog, Tramp, came and laid his head on my lap and I realized how, with only a vocabulary of 25 or so words, he was 
amazingly able to communicate very clearly. He is a friend who tells me he loves me without speaking a word. Perhaps, that is what us two-legged creatures have lost. The ability to be gentle in our communication and show others how we feel….without texts or emails or photoshop-ed pictures or a video on YouTube!!
I remember watching my parents, who were married for 55 years before one of them passed. They would look at each other in a way that you knew without a shadow of a doubt that they loved each other, and their hearts would be together forever. No words…..just loving looks and smiles. No fancy gifts….but rather daily demonstrations that they cared about the other. “Giving and Taking” was an ever revolving cycle that passed from one to the other. They did it with such ease and loving energy. You felt if you stood between them that you might be zapped by an invisible ray of love that would emit like an old sci-fi flick might demonstrate with lightning bolts.
I need to practice that kind of demonstration of caring more often. We all get so anxious to “tell our own stories” that we forget to listen to what others have to say. And thereby, really showing them that we care about the special person that they are and what they have to share. It seems Good Listeners are hard to find. OK….here’s your Monday challenge.
Monday Gets to be a Good Listener.
When someone is talking to you today…..don’t think about your own stories or moments that you have experienced that match theirs. Instead….just listen and comment about them. Let them know, at that very moment, that you care only about them and what they have to say 100%. Think this sounds easy??!! Good Luck! You’re human and you will find your tongue is hurting by the end of the day from biting it to keep from muttering your own exciting tale. However…what you will find is that you don’t walk away feeling you only got part of their story. Instead, you will leave knowing them a little better and they will feel that they are very important and that they matter to you. And….that’s really what it’s all about, right? If we could live today and every day like that, the world would be a much better place.
So….at day’s end, maybe stop to reflect how you feel.
I hope you feel you have made someone’s day a little brighter just by listening.
Didn’t cost you a dime either!
I hope that you realize that You Matter too.
Your unselfishness and humbleness are gifts that you can share any day…not just Monday.
Make Monday special……just like you!
Smiles,
Nancy
juststartwithmonday 
You’ve always been a good listener and a considerate, thoughtful and unselfish friend. You could give lessons…and do, by example. I’m so glad to have you in my life. XO Bonnie
Well…you just made my Monday!! I wish we lived closer. Life could be a fun adventure right now.
oh nancy! how i enjoy the way you write. what a a great monday message. and i love that ‘you matter’ is so apparent in all your messaging. my heart feels warm.,
sometimes not having any words is truly a blessing. when we listen, we indeed provide someone the space they need to arrive at their own answers. it’s such a quiet ‘non’ action way to express our love for others. thank you.
Thank you, Joy. You are so sweet. I feel the same from your messages. I love the WordPress community and the sharing of messages like this with each other.
Ok. It’s not Monday any more, but I will. Why not!
Thanks for stopping by…Come anytime…Monday or not.
This was lovely, Nancy – reminding us to listen.
I’ve got to admit I clicked on your name because I thought you were a recovering alcoholic – you know ‘Just Start With Monday’. I’m doing a video blog of myself giving up alcohol, so that’s where I’m coming from; that’s probably why I thought like that.
But when I read, then I thought, ‘oh, it’s an article about how to write, let it flow’ and I kept reading & realised it’s about listening – Monday can be a good listener. What a journey I went on, just by your name!!
I enjoyed it, it was good to be reminded to listen, & your close did indeed have me smile 🙂
Noeleen
http://www.VodkaWasMyMuse.wordpress.com/www.WordsFallFromMyEyes.wordpress.com
Hi Noeleen. Thanks so much for your nice comments. No matter how you got here, I’m glad you stopped in. I watched your video and have to say I really admire your courage as well as your creative way of telling your story. I work for a company called Every Monday Matters and our whole principle is to help people understand that you just take one step at a time to make a difference…..before you know it, you’ve created a new habit that is not only making a difference for yourself but for others as well. Keep up the good work. I look forward to hearing more about your journey. You Matter!! Smiles, Nancy
Oh Nancy, so your blog name DOES relate to such things. It’s a great name for a blog, then.
Thank you SO much for watching my video. It helps me that people respond, & encourage me, for I am a little isolated having moved my son & me from one side of Australia to the other (literally west to east) mid 2008. My son picked up friendships immediately, but I started going down, down, down. I am honoured that you’ve subscribed, & I thank you deeply for your encouragement.
Noeleen
You are a brave person…West to East move. I moved East to West and struggled to start a new life too. If you read my very first post…Monday Gets Purpose, You will see the reason for my blog and the 52 week commitment, I have made…..I may have to change it to 52 months as I am loving the process.