A Quote by William Stringfellow

Listening is a rare happening among human beings.

You cannot listen to the word another is speaking if you are pre-occupied with your appearance or with impressing the other, or are trying to decide what you are going to say when the other stops talking, or are debating about whether or not what is being said is true r relevant or agreeable.

Such matters have their place, but only after listening to the word as the word is being uttered.

Listening is a primitive art of love in which a person gives himself to another's word, making himself accessible and vulnerable to that word.