“The sort of people that we become is, in large part, determined by the voices that we choose to listen to. Truly, we do not have a choice of listening versus not listening. We all obey certain voices, and thus the question is not “Will I listen?” but “Which voices will I listen to?” But it is not only a matter of choosing to listen to good voices over bad ones. If only it were as simple as the proverbial whispering angel and devil on our shoulders. It is also a matter of whether we will choose to listen to different voices, voices that don’t sound the same as our own. Will we listen to the voices of different cultures, ethnicities, backgrounds and beliefs? Will we listen to the voices that unsettle us and might make us feel anxious or guilty? If we choose to listen only to voices that echo our own, we will be limited in our growth and stunted in our spirituality. Choosing to tune in to only one or two stations may be comfortable, but it is not transformative. The voices we want to hear are not always the same as the voices we need to hear.” ― Adam S. McHugh, The Listening Life: Embracing Attentiveness in a World of Distraction What voices do you typically listen to? Do you ever feel like you find yourself in an echo chamber - where the people you are listening to (and who are listening to you!) all share the same perspective? What do you tend to tune out? Who could you listen to today - really listen to - that might "unsettle" you, but might be just what you need in order to move into the invitation to love?

Posted by Jamie Bonilla at 2021-06-02 14:08:16 UTC