How Not to React Instantly…to Everything
‘You needn’t have a repartee for everything,’ said my friend at the gym, with some irritation in her voice.
It then struck me how quickly I reply to everything that is thrown at me in a conversation.
Was it me being defensive, showing off my knowledge, unable to practice the art of listening, and responding even before I absorbed completely what the other person said?
In our effort to be so involved in all our activities, even in our conversations, sometimes we get into hyperactive mode… We react rather than respond.
But at times, no response is also a response…
Very often, nothing is expected of us, but just to give a listening ear…to stay still with the thought and moment, quietly acknowledging the other person’s views.
This is just not true of conversations, but also extends to other aspects of our life, which often don’t need reactions but silent acknowledgment.
Take for instance your response to a traffic jam, a very mundane everyday experience… We can keep honking at the car in front of us and expect it to move faster, but if it’s also stuck because of another, is it really in the driver’s control to move faster?
