I love, love, love to talk. I will talk for hours and go on and on and on and on. I love those friends and family members that let me sit and talk with them for hours. Sharing and listening it validates the person and makes them feel valued. We do not always have to agree with the person, but we always need to respect them enough to listen, try to understand where they are coming from, and be kind. When tempers flair words are exchanged, hearts get wounded, and no one is listening. That is where the hope lies, in the listening. When we listen and hear each other, that is when change happens. We either rejoice or lament, but we always do it together with the individuals we are having conversation with and we can learn and grow. It is in the listening where we can gain perspective that brings understanding. It is in the listening when healing begins and hearts are restored. It is in the listening where sorrows melt away and love is able to enter. I love to speak, but honestly, I love to listen more, it changes the way I think, it helps expose what I wasn't aware of, and it dares my heart to dream. I love to talk, but there is true power lined with hope in the listening. Hope for better days, hope for change, and hope for validation.