Appreciate the Messages You Hear
I never thought the day would come to point where I could say, “I have an adopted younger brother.” He is six years old now and I am very thankful to have him in my life. Alexander is his first name but of course we like to call him, Alex. “Motor Mouth” is the nickname we gave him because he loves to talk to the point where you just want to put in some ear plugs. Even though he enjoys hearing himself talk, you just can’t help but let him ramble on.
I’ll never forget the day that he was trying to send a valuable message. He approached me in the living room when I was playing a video game. It was hard for me to focus on the things he was saying and on the objective I was trying to achieve in the game. So, as he continued to explain himself, the message kind of went in one ear and right out the other. I continued to respond to his statements with nonchalant head nods followed by unconcerned remarks.
Listening to others when they talk is very important especially if they mean the world to you. That day I really did not display that I appreciated what message my younger brother was trying send. “When you listen to appreciate, your goal is simply to enjoy the sounds and sights you’re experiencing and then to respond by expressing your appreciation” (McCornack, 2009, p. 163). Clearly, I was not enjoying the sights and sounds I was experiencing. I also gave a horrible response of expressing my emotions to his message. After he was done with the conversation, he walked away and all I heard was a prolonged sigh (McCornack, 2009).
I couldn’t understand why he was mad at me for the rest of evening. Backtracking the events throughout the day were what I found myself doing to try and figure out this tension we shared. It didn’t dawn on me until I remember the conversation we had in the living room. I sat down by myself for a minute and reflected upon the things we talked about. The message he had sent to me was the fact that he was happy to have an older brother like me in his life. I only became more frustrated with myself for not appreciating or even acknowledging his message. I later apologized to him and this situation helped to remind me to talk time and appreciate what others have to say.
So remember, the next time you are busy with an activity and someone has a message to send to you, take a break, and appreciate what they have to say because you might miss a valuable moment.
Can you think of other reasons why listening to appreciate is one of the five functions of listening?
What is your definition of listening to appreciate? Explain.
References:
McCornack, S. (2009). Reflect & relate: An introduction to interpersonal communication.
Bedford/ St. Martin’s
