Listen, just listen... It isn't that difficult, is it?

I was scrolling through YouTube shorts when I came across a video explaining how a young dude from South Korea got rich doing literally.... nothing. Despite this he was still very sort after. His services ? Nothing really difficult, he just walks people who need around, like those kind of people who would need just a walk with someone else down the road or down the lake or something like that. You can also go moon gazing with him and stuff but he doesn't really say a word. People who are going through difficult times could hire him to just listen to their rants without him having to say anything, if at all he has to say something, then it's Yes, No and Okay... nothing more..and guess what? This people end up feeling much better.

I realized something from the video, everyone wants to be the hero that gets someone out of a difficult situation but very little people actually take their time to listen. The moment you open up to someone they go into rescue mode and start telling you what you should and what you should not do. They start dishing out life advices you never asked for and probably will neve need, at least at that moment. This is one of the reasons why people going through depression prefer not seek help because people end up rationalizing their struggles and then open up their traps to spew stupid advice no one asked them for or even worse, proceed to sound judgemental because they don't have the complete picture of what's going on with that person, you hear them talk about how that person needs to "get closer to God" or how what they are facing is "happening to everyone else" and crap like that. If only some of us understand, people with these sort of difficulties always know what to do and you don't have to tell them anything, they aren't stupid. What they haven't mustered yet is courage and unconditional support. You know what they say about support right? It's about being there for someone. Sometimes being there for them should be taken literally, just be there. You don't have to say or do anything just listen to them and you might have no idea how much you have helped by just listening. Only talk when there's a serious and necessary need to do so.

Why do you think people keep books or little diaries inside their drawer in which they could write anything? You think if books shoot of their mouths whenever they're written on anyone would bother keeping them again? Although the book has no ability of listening, it gives a feeling of venting because you've just transferred everything going on inside your head to the book, now imagine how better it would feel if that it is a person listening without speaking while making the talker aware that you're really listening and only talking when there's a need to. No unsolicited advice, no preaching, no judgment, no going on hero mode. If every single person on earth is like this, don't you think we'd be a lot less shitty? Knowing that, as someone going through hard times, you have people whom you could just open up to without having to regret it, wouldn't that be amazing?

The good news is that listening is an art and can be honed. For me, listening skills is as important if not more important than speaking skills. Being able to make people feel at ease without talking can be learned, and you should learn it. You could literally save a life.

Sometimes all we need is someone to listen...

Thank you for reading.