「傾聽是愛的表現，通常需要有所犧牲。

我們真正傾聽他人說話時，往往都要放棄我們想說的話，好讓他們可以充分表達!」

The Sound of Silence 

Hello darkness, my old friend, 
I've come to talk with you again,
Because a vision softly creeping, 
Left its seeds while I was sleeping, 
And the vision that was planted in my brain 
Still remains 
Within the sound of silence. 

In restless dreams I walked alone 
Narrow streets of cobblestone, 
'Neath the halo of a street lamp, 
I turned my collar to the cold and damp 
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light 
That split the night 
And touched the sound of silence. 

And in the naked light I saw 
Ten thousand people, maybe more. 
People talking without speaking, 
People hearing without listening, 
People writing songs that voices never share 
And no one dared 
Disturb the sound of silence. 

"Fools" said I, "You do not know 
Silence like a cancer grows. 
Hear my words that I might teach you, 
Take my arms that I might reach you." 
But my words like silent raindrops fell, 
And echoed 
In the wells of silence. 

And the people bowed and prayed 
To the neon god they made. 
And the sign flashed out its warning, 
In the words that it was forming. 
And the sign said, "The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls 
And tenement halls." 
And whisper'd in the sounds of silence.

這首發人深省的老歌.一開頭低語呼喚內心深處的老友及揮之不去的景象.訴說著許多埋藏的感受思緒.

身處科技發達.資訊爆炸.誘惑雜音四處的文明時代.沒有靜下心來獨處.沉思.反省.就很容易隨波逐流.讓內在的聲音被外界的雜音淹沒.也容易忽視他人.尤其家人親友之間的真誠溝通.

如同歌詞所提:人們說話卻沒有用心交談.聽話卻沒有用心傾聽.

傾聽的人尋求了解他人,

說話的人尋求被人了解,

真誠地傾聽包含同理心和甘願的心,

如此會產生一股撫慰人心的力量!減輕說者心中的重擔!讓人感覺被重視和接納!

傾聽的能力可以培養;但最重要地,莫過於真誠的愛心!

如何讓自己能傾聽出他人的感受和需求呢?

1.眼睛注視對方(放下手中的3C電子產品.關掉電視.音樂)

2.問問題(確認對方想表達的意思和感受)

3.偶爾適當的沉默

4.仔細聆聽而非一直想著要如何回應

5.注意對方非語言的信息(表情,姿勢等)

6.重述對方的話

Reference:（Teaching,No Greater Call〔1999〕, p66）