PROPORTIONS...

When Caren Ellis Fried eulogized her father more than a week ago, she talked about how Mike Ellis taught her something along the lines of, "God gave you two ears and one mouth, so use them in that proportion." I knew I had heard some version of this before, that Mike wasn't the first one to verbalize this concept (it seems as though the Greek philosopher, Epictetus, may have been the first to go on the record with this notion, allegedly saying, "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."), and it doesn't matter. Mike was my messenger this time...as always, when the student's ready, the teacher shows up. I may have heard something a million times before, a concept that (I think) I get, and then one day...WOWZA! "It" suddenly goes from being a miniphany to a full-out epiphany. It's as if I/we are getting it for the first time, simply because the essence of the info, beyond the words, finds a new place inside...because the "all steps lead to now" truth suddenly has guided us to a new place (of wisdom, understanding, belief, knowledge) where the "Oh, I heard that before" words are felt and experienced in a completely new light. As someone who certainly likes to talk AND listen, I am still learning about how to find the right watermark - for me - in those talking/listening proportions. To listen better and better, more and more...another part of, and mirror for, this continuing lesson to allow more, "try" less. Two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion...two ears and one mouth, use them in that proportion...two ears and one...