This was written by Frances Palmer:
I’ve been thinking about one of the things I hope I taught my children: How to listen. What does listening really mean? And how do we listen to the world at large?
Like, when you swim in the ocean and hear the waves. Or, you hear the quiet in your cabin. Or, you hear the music at the opera. Or, you listen to your children.
Or, like today when I could listen to the sound of the bees. Two hives that were happy had a distinct hum. One hive, where the queen was not laying, was agitated and buzzing at a different pitch. I had to hear that. It was very moving and I am grateful for a life where I can say I can’t talk now — I am checking the bees.
Or the Pope, who came to this country this week and offered such an incredible combination of religion and tradition — and rang the alarm on climate change. He is listening to the world at large!
I hope we are listening.
What if we challenged ourselves to one listening exercise every day – really listen to your spouse (I need to do this), your friend, your coworker, your child — and have nothing to offer in return except to get out of your own life.
What if our leaders really listened to what the people want and need? What if we listened to our Earth, telling us what it needs?
Frances Palmer has been making ceramics since 1987. She loves the process of changing ideas into form. Her handmade ceramics are functional art – dishware or vases that can be used on a daily basis. Each piece, no matter how large or small, is considered and individual.
Follow Frances on Instagram and her online journal.