Unwise Listening

How often are what is said and what we hear not the same? Let me share a story I heard this weekend at a meditation center.

One evening, the phone rang at the center. "Is Shivani Didi there?" demanded the caller, sounding quite upset.

"I'm sorry," replied the dedicated lady who picked up the phone, "She's resting right now. Please call back in thirty minutes."

"Grrr... She'll be dead in thirty minutes!" growled the caller, and then they hung up.

Twenty minutes later, when BK Shivani emerged from her room, she noticed the lady who took the call sitting pale and trembling. Others were around her, trying to find out what was wrong, but she was too shocked to speak. After a little persuasion, she finally blurted out, "Someone's coming to kill you!"

BK Shivani had been counseling a young man who was going through a tough phase after being diagnosed with a serious illness. She had been teaching him meditation and offering guidance to help him cope. Just the day before, she had visited him and was expecting a call from his partner at any moment.

It didn’t take long for her to piece together what had happened. The call wasn’t about her—it was about the young man she had been counseling. He was nearing his end, and his partner, in his distress, had made the call.

She rushed to his home and saw him before he passed away. Thankfully, she also managed to explain the misunderstanding to the terrified lady at the center, saving her from any further shock! 😀 

So, next time you find yourself in a stressful situation, take a deep breath and try to see the bigger picture. You might just find that things aren’t as terrible as they seem! 💙 

#Mindfulness #Perspective #Communication #StressRelief #Meditation #Compassion #EmotionalIntelligence #wednesdaywisdom #RiseWithritu