To the Expositor:
Listening skills or understanding skills?
There’s what you said. There’s what you thought you said. Then there is what you actually meant.
There’s what I heard you say. There’s what I thought I heard you say. Then there is what I thought you meant.
We both listened to each other but did we understand one another?
We are often encouraged to improve our listening skills which is good advice. However, it’s the understanding skills that often need the most work.
My wife was restocking the fridge with club soda and said to me “you’ll notice that when I take some out I put some back in.” Looking me in the eye she continued, “that’s wife speaking code—do you understand?”
Me: “I was husband listening, what did you say?”
I instantly understood there was a price to pay for that.
It was worth it.
Douglas Miller
Sudbury
