I am watching Ice T's Art of Rap, and he asks why people think rap does not get respect. The answer surprised me, when they stated it was because people did not understand what the rapper was saying. His example was that his mom is 80 and does not know how to listen, to understand what she was hearing. His own mother...it got me thinking. Perhaps that is why people struggle to respect and understand others, because they can not seem to understand how to listen. Just a moment, to just listen as opposed to judging and "knowing" what the message is before another speaks one word. I wonder how this would server to establish communication between two whom may never have met on the even playing field before? I try to meet E where he is at, and remember that my inability to hear words from his lips should never keep me from HEARING the message he is trying to get across. Perhaps not word for word, but certainly the gist of it. It is all about looking at their world, in their way, through their eyes for even just a moment. Maybe then we will "get it." Maybe then we will respect the journey taken to arrive at a crossroads of understanding...or maybe it will simply enable us to nod, smile and go on like the 80 year old mother who is proud of her child, even if she is not quite certain what exactly the purpose of his work is.
Until next time...
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