Saturday, September 27, 2008

COFFEE WITH D.

The Listener
pastel by Judy Westergard

I had an opportunity the other day to spend some time with an old friend whose busy schedule rarely lets him take time for a leisurely chat. At a small table in front of the local coffee shop, oblivious to cars, dogs, strollers, bikers, we spent most of the afternoon catching up with the events, the joys, and the challenges in our lives. Almost three hours later, our cold and barely touched coffee made us realize we each needed to be someplace else. I left filled with new ideas, energized and confident that I could pull them off. I didn't feel like the same person who’d earlier sat down with that now stale coffee.
My friend is brilliant in his field...an award winning creative. But to my way of thinking, his greatest gift is his ability to listen so well that anyone who shares time with him leaves feeling like she matters. That’s a lesson I need to study. And while I try to master it, I’ll continue to be very grateful that there are people like him in this world.





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