Listening as Love
“To be truly listened to […] is often experienced as being loved, being loved more profoundly than most of us ever experience being loved. We all hunger for unconditional love, in spite of the fact that human love is necessarily conditional. All our lives, we are accustomed to being accepted on the condition of living up to certain standards, reciprocating certain behaviors, saying the right things. To be heard by someone who approaches letting go of expectation – even for a little while – gives us a taste of God’s forgiving love in which we’ve all been held from eternity.“
— Patricia Loring, 1997
Quaker minister and educator
Today’s Invitation
Practice listening deeply to those in your life. Notice when your attention slips or if you pass judgment while others share with you.
This Week’s Query
How does listening nurture your sense of oneness with Spirit, others, and the earth?
Read the source of today’s quote
This week’s messages are guest edited by Right Sharing of World Resources (RSWR), a Quaker organization that works for equity and a life of dignity for all. RSWR programs promote partnerships with women in India, Guatemala, Kenya, and Sierra Leone and encourage those with diverse resources to embrace our shared responsibility for one another’s well being. Visit their website to learn more about RSWR’s virtual and in-person workshops.
