Are You Listening?

It is Monday.  A day to start fresh.  A day to begin with a smile.  A day to step out on the right foot – to get it right.  Or at least to give it our best effort. During the past two days I have had ample time to contemplate, ponder and ruminate, almost too much time.  And sadly, I did not look this good (below) doing it.

However, out of all this time alone in my own head (and since I’m always trying to achieve, improve and grow – being that I am my worst critic, as I’m sure most of us are), my mind wandered to a particular piece I read a few years back written by Bob Schieffer.  If you have ever watched Face the Nation, you will recall that during the last five minutes of his show he commentates on a variety of his own thoughts. I, for one, find this to be the best part.

While I don’t watch it very often, in fact, as soon as CBS Sunday Morning is over, I’m moving on with my day, I happened to be intrigued enough to pick up his book Bob Schieffer’s America a couple of years ago which is simply a catalogue of those five minute commentaries he shares with his viewers each week.

To make a long story short, there is one commentary in particular that I copied and stuck to my idea board as I feel the general concept is a beautiful thought to keep in mind during those times when we are perplexed or feel as if no one “gets” us, or we’re unsure as to where we’re supposed to shine.
Have a look for yourself.  The reference is to a man he interviewed at the Aspen Ideas Festival named T.D. Jakes.

“He said something that day that I shall never forget.  He reminded [me] that no one is perfect, that we are all broken somewhere.

But he said that is not all bad.  A key is broken in all the right places to fit a certain lock.  When that key is placed in that lock, there is a quiet click. When we meet a person who is broken in the right places to accommodate our brokenness, there is a click.

It can happen in other ways: an introverted person hears that click when he finds a job that can only be done by a person who works well alone.

Whether it is a job, or a relationship . . . something clicks when we find the place that accommodates our uniqueness, or brokenness.

. . . some call it meditation – but there is within each of us some mysterious, inner thing that tells us when something clicks –we don’t know how or why, we just know.

We are all broken.  But listening for that click can help us to unlock many doors.  The voice is always there – we have only to listen.

-April 8, 2007

So, are you listening?  And if so, what have you heard?   Have a beautiful Monday and week full of moments that give you time to just listen.

(1) Source (2) Musings in Femininity