Listening For Love


Written by: Maria Elouisa E. Enerlan
Date: January 3, 2008

There are times when we are timid and shy about expressing the love we feel. Fear of embarrassing the other person or ourselves. We hesitate to say the actual words "I LOVE YOU", so we try to communicate the idea in other words. We say "Take Care" or maybe "Don't drive too fast" or "Be good at all times." But really these are just other ways of saying "I Love You". Words such as "You are important to me", "I care what happens to you" and "I don't want you to get hurt" these phrases only mean one thing and it says "I Love You." We are sometimes very strange people. The only thing we want to say, and the one thing that we should say, is the one thing we don't say. And yet, because the feeling is so real and the need to say it is so strong, we are driven to use other words and signs to say what we really mean. Oftentimes, the meaning can never be understood at all and the other person is left with the feeling of unloved and unwanted.

Therefore, I believe we have to listen for love especially in the words that people are saying or telling us. Sometimes the explicit words are necessary, but more often, the manner of saying these things are even more important. A joyous insult carries more affection and love within the sentiments which are expressed insincerely. An impulsive hug says, "I Love You" even though the words might be saying something very different. Any expression of a person's concern for another says "I Love You" could sometimes be the expression of being clumsy or sometimes even cruel. Sometimes we must look and listen very intently for the love that is contains. We say "I LOVE YOU" in many ways - with birthday gifts, and little notes, with smiles and sometimes with tears. Sometimes we show our love by just keeping quiet and not saying a word, at other times by speaking out, even harshly. Sometimes we show our love by our impulsiveness.

Many times that we have to show our love by forgiving someone who has not listened to the love we have tried to express. The problem with listening for love is that we don't understand the language of love, which the other person is using. A girl may use tears or emotions to say what she wants to say, and her boyfriend may not understand her because he expects her to be talking his language. We have to force ourselves to listen. The problem with our world is that people rarely listen to each other. They hear the words, but they don't listen or tried to understand the actions that accompany the words or the expression on the face. People listen only for rejection or misunderstandings. They do not see the love that is there just beneath the surface, even if the words are angry.

There are ten thousand people or maybe even more people who are talking without speaking, people who are hearing without listening, people who are writing songs that voices never shared. It is because no one dared disturb the sound of silence. It is a terrifying picture of our modern world, a world without communication, and without love. We have to listen for love especially in those around us. If we listen intently we will discover and realize that we are more loved, so all you need is to just listen. In this world we should know that not all people care as much as one person cared so much about us.

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