“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou
I absolutely love this quote – not from her aforementioned autobiography, by the way – but about which I was reminded in my daily dose from Gratefulness.org.
This is just the appetizer in my spiritual “breakfast of champions.” The main course consists of three devotionals. My favorite, as many readers have likely surmised, is My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers along with two recent additions I have picked up thanks to a dear friend: Listening to Your Life by Frederick Buechner and The Business of Heaven by none other than the inimitable CS Lewis.
I simply am not disciplined enough to pour over Scripture without a measure of guidance and structure, the exception being during my first “year of living separately” when I read and reread Proverbs and Psalms.
Returning to Maya Angelou, now 85. I recently watched her interview with Oprah where she was asked as a crafter of words which ones comforted her most. She replied thoughtfully, “God loves me.” She continued, at one time doubled over with emotion, “It still humbles me that this force that made leaves and fleas and stars and rivers and…you – loves me. Me, Maya Angelou! That’s why I am who I am- yes, because God loves me and I am AMAZED at it and grateful for it.”
All this got me thinking about how important listening is to helping someone feel valued and loved and how often our words are indeed inadequate and our actions fail us. I encourage you to consider how someone feels in your presence today. Do you want to be interesting or to be interested? Do you want to be heard or to hear? Do you want to be right or to be happy (two of my children would answer the former!)
I encourage you to count every encounter precious whether it be with a cashier at the grocery store, a member of the janitorial staff at your company, a homeless person standing in the median or . . . an 18 year old son who would rather play a game of “Risk” with his mom on their “date” than anything else. (Well, besides being with his friends!)
A wordless gaze, smile or touch can communicate volumes . . . “I am grateful for you, I am amazed by you and guess what, God loves you”
Whether you believe it or not.
– Caroline Watkins