Big Ears, Better Listening

I found this meme funny, even though I do listen to myself. The truth is, I try to be mindful with my words—even when talking to myself. But being mindful doesn't guarantee 100% success; I still make communication mistakes with others. And that's going to be a lifelong lesson for me.

Over the years, I've learned to listen better. I grew up listening. As a kid, I was fascinated by adult conversations. When we visited my dad's parents, the adults would gather in the kitchen or the backyard, depending on the weather, while us kids were either in the living room, glued to the TV, or sent outside to play on the swing set.

Even while watching TV or swinging, I'd eavesdrop on the grown-ups. Not that I understood everything they were saying, but I remember the political discussions from 1964. I was eight years old at the time, and the heated debates about Barry Goldwater running for president were impossible to ignore. My parents supported Lyndon Johnson, so things got pretty intense. As I got older, maybe around fourteen, I was allowed into the kitchen, and I remember 'arguing politics' with the adults. I don’t recall any of my cousins joining in, but I always felt like I had to prove myself in those conversations. That experience taught me to fact-check and to back up my statements. During that time, I read the entire Bryan Times and Defiance Crescent News cover to cover. The Dear Abby column and the editorials were my go-to sections, but I could also tell you who got arrested or passed away that week.

On my mom's side of the family, we would visit my grandmother. While the adults talked, we'd play Scrabble on the floor nearby. Those conversations were much quieter—more about family, and no one ever raised their voice. I remember my parents catching my grandmother up on our family’s news, usually after a couple of weeks, and my grandmother would share updates about other relatives.

“Little pitchers have big ears” definitely applied to me. Still does. But it taught me to listen carefully and be ready to respond if needed. Today, we call it "active listening." Back then, it was just "being nosy." And yes, I’m still nosy. I love hearing people's stories. I enjoy listening to podcasts. I stay up until Joe gets home from work around 2 a.m., just to hear about his day. Now it can be said of me, "big pitchers have big ears".