It’s something I’ve told my children since before they could fully understand what it meant:

God gave you two ears and one mouth so you could listen twice as much as you speak.  (So you should listen twice as much as you speak…?)

I’d do well to follow the same advice; wouldn’t most of us?

Listening, active listening, is a dying art.

Today’s culture lends itself to attention deficit–distractions are as close as the palm of our hand.  When you’re texting someone else when we’re together, it’s impossible to be fully present. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, [your favorite social sharing site] are demanding little monsters with insatiable appetites.  For them to be silent apps, they sure make a lot of noise.

In some ways it’s like we’ve agreed to sanction rudeness.

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Please, please click over to The Art of Simple to continue reading The Art of Listening.  I’m stepping on toes over there (including my own), and I’d love for you to weigh in with your thoughts about today’s distracted culture and why I believe listening well is crucial.