There’s always a lesson; if you listen for it…

Is it just ME, or do you, too, often learn lessons in the strangest places and at the strangest times?

Here’s one for you…

I was watching – of all things – “Sister Act”, starring Whoopi Goldberg.  It is a cute and completely ridiculous scenario of a mediocre Las Vegas lounge singer hiding in a convent to avoid being killed by her mobster, married boyfriend after she witnesses a murder he ordered.  I did say, ‘cute’, didn’t I?

(At this time, I shall like to present this disclaimer:  I wasn’t actually watching so much as using it as background noise as I cleaned my house Saturday morning.  Hey, it passes the time!)

Believing there is a lesson in every situation, I soon found one in “Sister Act”…

Disguised as a nun (old fashioned habit, and all) Dolores, a/k/a Sister Mary Clarence,  soon becomes the Choir Director at St. Elizabeth’s Convent.  She is assigned a group of willing participants:  basses, altos and sopranos mixed among each other making the collaborative musical expression less – way less -  than pleasing to the ear!  Each doing her own thing. There was no proper blend, nothing that would create a pleasant experience for the listener and probably  less so for the vocalists, themselves.

Soon, Sr. Mary Clarence has a properly arranged, complimenting group of harmonious singers in perfect synchronization!

The perfectly pitched choir beamed with satisfaction and wonderment looking to their Director for answers…

“You have to listen to each other if you want to come together as a group”, said Sr. Mary Clarence.

With that, I, too, was beaming.  She nailed it!  In so doing, she created a positive experience for all, opened the door for better things to come and made every ‘Singing Nun’ the best she could be in that moment.  There was purpose, a goal, balanced give and take; it was beautiful.

She taught them how to listen!

I’ve coached classes for years and I couldn’t agree more; you have to learn to listen – and listen well.

In listening, you show concern for the thoughts and feelings of the other party, you honor the speaker with basic – and necessary – respect and you uncover in yourself how you can best serve others.   Ahh,  how to serve others! 

     

The world needs women to come together and it will not always be to sing; it will be to listen to each other, to respect each other, to learn from each other and to truly come together as a harmonious group.  That is what it will take to move ourselves and the world forward.  Not everyone can be speaking at the same time; someone has to listen!  

So, IS it just me, or do you, too, realize that, if for even a moment, you stop and listen to someone else and put that person first and make what that person is saying the most important focal point, you give a great gift.  Listening is important; it identifies the common denominators, the common cause and it is a huge step toward taking positive action…it makes me want to celebrate…all together now…

Whoopi!