If we want to have a deep relationship with others, we have to listen to all the little things they want to share – even if they may seem trivial to us. How their day went, who they saw, something they heard. If they know that we listen to them about those things, when something monumental occurs in their life they will already be accustomed to sharing with us.

If we don’t listen, or worse, bark at those who talk to us, then people just won’t want to talk to us. They won’t bring up concerns – that impact them and potentially may even us. They won’t bring up their perspectives and ideas. They certainly won’t say the difficult truths that we can greatly benefit from hearing.

And we won’t have a relationship.