Listen!

When I ask you to listen to me
and you start giving me advice,
you have not done what I asked.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you begin to tell me why I shouldn't feel that way,
you are trampling on my feelings.

When I ask you to listen to me
and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem,
you have failed me, strange as that may seem.

Listen! All I asked, was that you listen.
not talk or do, just hear my heart.
Advice is easy; I can get it from "Dear Abby"
And I can for myself; I am not helpless.
Maybe discouraged and faltering, but not helpless.

When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself,
you contribute to my fear and weakness.

But when you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what I feel,
no matter how irrational,
then I can quit trying to convince you
and can get about the business of understanding
what's behind this irrational feeling.
And when that's clear, the answers are obvious,
and I don't need advice
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what's behind them.

Perhaps that's why prayer works because God listens.
And He empowers me to work it out myself.

So please listen and just hear me. And if you want to talk,
wait a minute for your turn,
and I will listen to you.

Anonymous (adapted)

Another gem from sister Mei Lin...