“Listen” 01.06.23

One can hear, and not absorb the contents of the substance meeting their ears. To hear is not to listen. We are all guilty of growing bored of a conversation and “checking out.” Our eyes glaze over, napping while awake, pretending to listen. Some people have the gift of selective hearing. Words stream into one ear and out the other; we capture enough bits and pieces to carry on a conversation without remaining truly present. When we hear a story often, our minds fade into the background; we reach for the next moment, a chance to break away. There are people to avoid, opportunities to avert our attention elsewhere. I believe that every voice strives to be heard; but when we hear voices, others often pay them no mind. They are invisible, yet they are certainly present. Without hard proof, many people do not acknowledge the “super natural.” Some cannot hear, and choose not to listen to those most in need of an ear or a shoulder. Hearing is not listening, which leads to the wide gap between knowing and understanding.

Society has grown more tolerant, sensitive, knowledgeable about psychiatric disorders, but the stigma remains. We teeter on the edge of acceptance and denial. Knowing facts and studying areas of psychiatry is a step in the positive direction, but there is much to learn, and sufficient room for growth. Knowing all the facts, or nearly everything the textbooks provide, does not scratch the surface of understanding. Hearing is the first step, but let the words settle. Let them in. Listen, and embrace the struggling with open arms.

–SJB