I Do Not Listen

I do not listen because my heart hurts when I hear the sad, and the mean. And I get way too loud when I hear the happy. Sad, angry people frown at My giant head-throwing witch cackling laugh. It hurts them. I do not listen because it is better for my tender empathetic soul not to hear What might make me feel bad all day long. However, people think I am listening, Because I am the great pretender. My head is nodding in all the right places, giving these people my comfort eyes, As I am expertly not listening, fooling them, so I can retain the part of myself that desperately needs to retain hope, joy, innocence, and optimism. Uh-oh. Something has gone terribly wrong. I am shaken into active listening, as I can tell by the person’s face that they are not spewing out drama, or one-upping Stories, just to be talking. I start to listen, learning who I need to help today. My only talent, is being a maestro at knowing when and how to listen.