Listening Is Loving

Returning home from a distant flight, I was greatly moved by a conversation with a gentleman with whom I shared a seat. His name was Sitruc, and he gladly engaged me with a delightful story that occurred a couple of years ago. * My flight companion was a senior friend to another senior 20 years his senior. The two of them attended a weekly 'no-agenda' men's group for breakfast. At the breakfast where there were usually 5 or 6, the conversations were primarily about cars, trains, travel, and mixed with varied and occasional Biblical subjects. But to and from breakfast, Sitruc and his friend Keith deepened their fellowship with further talks of this, that, or the other. Primarily, their dialogue was religious subjects and 'Personal Matters of Substance'. I was deeply touched by one story that concerned a personal matter that Sitruc was experiencing between himself and his wife. My companion spoke about the dreams of his spouse and the future she desired the two of them to have together; about a major 2000-mile move across country they could make, settle on her brother's farm and enjoy the rest of their lives. On the surface, it seemed that Sitruc had reached an agreement with his wife and was happy to proceed with the plans. However, it was right at that point that the older senior, Keith, with great concern about his younger friend, posed a most poignant question. In a tone so obviously defensive of his dear friend, he asked, "BUT WHAT ABOUT YOU?" "WHAT DO YOU WANT" For the younger friend, this was a very revealing moment. He could not remember when or if anyone had ever posed such a question to him. His older friend was hearing things bouncing off Sitruc's heart that he had not uttered. At that defining moment, he discerned that his friend's love was very deep and genuine for him. His friend was truly listening with love in his heart. He heard information with his ears, but was listening and loving with his heart. In a moment of serious dialogue, a 'forever portrait' was painted with those 8 words that will linger in Sitruc's heart for a lifetime. 072322PSCtest, Listening Is Loving Poetry, Mystic Rose Rose *Fiction based on real characters.