Good friends listen well

I have a lot to learn about listening. I'm not sure if it's a bloke thing, but I tend to listen with an ear for a solution. It's so easy to fix someone else's problems rather than simply listen.

I have a couple of friends who listen really well. They listen in a way that gives me a sense that they have an unswerving commitment to whatever it is that will bring me happiness and contentment. No judgement, no assessment, no advice. Just pure respect. At the end of a conversation I always feel lighter and refreshed.

Great listeners are a gift to this world.