Ernst Hemingway

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100079811192264

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Ernest Hemingway once said:

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* When people talk, listen completely. *

Don’t be thinking about what you’re going *

* to say. Most people never listen. Nor do they 

* observe. You should be able to go into a room *

* & when you come out know everything that *

* you saw there & not only that. If that room *

gave you any feeling you should know exactly 

* what it was that gave you that feeling. *

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* It’s a rare & profound gift *

to be fully present with someone,

& yet, it’s something so few of us *

* truly offer. Most people only half-

listen, their minds already form-

* ulating their next words, *

* distracted by their own *

thoughts, or zoning out.

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* Imagine how powerful it *

would be if we listened more deeply 

* — if we made a commitment to being *

* fully engaged, to hearing and understanding 

not just the words, but the emotions & intentions 

behind them. Listening isn’t just about waiting for *

your turn to speak; it’s about absorbing what someone 

* else is sharing & making them feel heard, valued, & *

understood. 

It’s about 

connecting 

on a level 

deeper than 

surface conversations, 

* because when you truly listen, you *

open a door to empathy & genuine connection.

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& isn’t that what we’re all really longing for?

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* Beyond listening, there is also *

the art of observing, of truly noticing the *

* world around you. When you walk into a room, *

* take a moment to soak in everything. Notice the details *

— the way the sunlight filters through the windows, the color 

of the walls, the expressions on people’s faces, the way someone *

is nervously tapping their foot or laughing with their eyes more

than their mouth. Most of us rush through spaces, our minds pre-

* occupied and our eyes barely registering what’s in front of us.

But there’s magic in paying attention, in being mindful of the *

* small details that make every moment unique. Think of the *

room not just as a physical space, but as an experience. Every *

room has a mood, a feeling, an energy. It could be the coziness 

* of a room filled with laughter, the tension of a space where a *

difficult conversation just took place, or the warmth of a place *

* that holds beautiful memories. The more we tune in to these

subtle feelings, the more deeply we can understand our sur- *

roundings and the people in them. What gave you that feeling? 

Was it the way someone’s eyes lit up when they smiled? The scent 

* of freshly brewed coffee that brought a sense of comfort? Or *

* perhaps the distant echo of a song that stirred up *

* a forgotten memory? *

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* Being observant & emotionally *

aware in this way takes practice, but it also 

transforms the way you move through life. You *

* become more sensitive, more attuned, more aware. *

* You start to notice the way a friend’s voice softens when *

they’re talking about something they love, or the slight shift 

in someone’s tone when they’re hiding something. You begin *

to see & feel things that others miss entirely, & that awareness

* can lead to a richer, more connected experience of the world. *

It’s a beautiful thing to be a person who listens with their heart,

* who deeply observes, & who fully feels. It means you’re not just

drifting through life; you’re living it intentionally. You’re soaking

in the fullness of each moment, aware of the beauty & complexity

* around you. It means you understand people better, because *

you’ve made the effort to see and hear them, to pick up on the *

nuances of their being. It means you can be the kind of person

whose presence feels calming, because people know you’re

* truly there with them, not just waiting for your *

* turn to talk or half-heartedly engaging. *

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* So, when you’re in conversation, *

let go of the urge to plan your next statement. *

* Take a breath, relax your mind, and give the person *

speaking your undivided attention. Let yourself be present,

fully. When you walk into a room, slow down and really see it.

Observe the details, feel the energy, notice the small things that

make that moment unique. You’ll find that life becomes richer,

fuller, and more meaningful when you learn to listen & observe

completely. It’s not just about hearing words or seeing objects *

* — it’s about feeling the fullness of everything around you. *

* It’s about experiencing life, deeply and completely. *

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What do you believe we miss out on when we’re not fully present, and how does that impact our relationships and experiences?