“Listening is where love beings: Listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors.”
~ Fred Rogers
This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Zach Bryan concert at Mile High Stadium in Denver, CO. Let me tell you, it was an experience I won’t soon forget. The stadium was packed with over 70,000 people, the weather was absolutely perfect, and the mood of the crowd was electric. Every patron sang every word of every song in perfect unison. But as I stood there, listening to some of my favorite songs, I realized something surprising. I had no desire to sing along. Instead, I wanted to hear, really hear, one of my favorite artists sing some of my favorite lyrics. I wanted to be in the moment, to take it all in, to absorb the soul of the music and the vibe of the environment.
It got me thinking about how much times have changed. I long for the days when we would lay in our bedrooms, listening to our favorite albums for hours on end—no cell phones, no other distractions—just us alone with our thoughts and some of the best music ever made. In the hustle and bustle of today's society, we’ve lost our ability to truly listen. To listen, process, feel, and aptly respond (in word or in action) to words, to life.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m all about belting out some lyrics at a fantastic concert, but sometimes, I want to reconnect with the music. I want to take those live show opportunities to put down my phone, tune out all my responsibilities and the rat race in my mind, and really connect with the music.
I think this goes for our relationships with people, too. Sometimes we need to stop thinking about the "what's next," be it a response or the next thing on our agenda. We need to silence our minds and our souls and really connect with our fellow humans again. It’s all too easy to get caught up in the craziness of life. Life is too short to let these important emotions and connections wither away for the sake of constant productivity and a longing for perpetual instant gratification and affirmation.
So, I encourage you to take a moment this week. Put down your phone, turn off the TV, and just listen. Listen to your favorite song, listen to your loved ones, listen to the world around you. Reconnect with the music, with the people, with life. Because these are the moments that truly matter.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. How do you find moments to truly listen in your busy lives? Let's share our stories and encourage each other to reconnect with the things that really matter.
