Listening

At my mother's memorial service back in January, Dr. Kantor, her eye doctor, stood to speak about her. He said that while my mother had lost her eyesight to glaucoma, she never lost her vision.

Today that thought came back to me. When hearing is a challenge, what does that mean about listening? How can I let someone know that I am listening when I miss so much of what is said? The act of listening is so much more than hearing - it is bringing one's focus to bear on someone else, fully, without distraction, and taking in not just the words and the context, but the fuller meaning behind the words. Perhaps if I am more intentional about my listening, screening out distractions inside and out, I will not only be a better listener but hear better as well.