Too Busy to Slow Down
It’s been a little while since I have last written. Work these days has been extremely busy…which by all means, is wonderful. However, it’s moments such as these that something gets sacrificed because there is only so much time. Depending on the day, I might be missing out on adequate amounts of sleep, quality meals, or time spent TRULY listening to others.
After a long day, some nights I come home practically comatose to the world. On these occasions, there are times when my husband may start a conversation. Suddenly, midway through I realized I only caught parts of what he was trying to tell me. Some people may call this typical to married life. Ha. Anyway, this got me thinking about how often this happens everyday….to many people. It reminds me how valuable a person who truly listens.
When I was a Masters in Social Work Intern in Austin, Texas, I had my own clients assigned within a couple of nursing homes. A lot of time was spent with each one of my clients, since I didn’t have other work related obligations. As a result, I knew their intimate frustrations, worries and fears, and was able to better assist them with this knowledge.
Some of my clients had no family, or if they did, they were rarely in contact. Often after having an hour session, they would want to continue longer. These individuals were by far the most likely to develop signs and symptoms of depression. However, it was noticeable by their reaction that having someone that would listen, meant the world.
Nursing home staff, family and friends of nursing home residents, also have hectic lives. Often it may inhibit them from being able to slow down long enough not to miss every other word of a story. It’s extremely hard to always be an active listener. For me, it is a work in progress….but, an effort that’s truly worth making.
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