Can You Hear Me Now?

I kinda don't like to repeat myself very often. Especially when I know a person is completely not listening to me in the middle of a conversation I'm having with them and they don't excuse themselves. I know that things come up and conversations need to be interrupted sometimes for important reasons, but I'm not talking about those times. I'm talking about the slightly important conversation that gets interrupted by the other person not caring or showing no will to listen to what I have to say. I find it so dehumanizing and degrading; I am not sure why people cannot be more intentional with listening. Are they purposefully trying to spite me? Are my words really not that important because I'm not in a high position in their minds? I was in the grocery store with someone who apparently found the vegetables better conversationalist than me. I was thinking, "Why are bell peppers more important than the human next to you?!" This is something that really bothers me. Yes my conversation was not life changing or life and death situation, but it was of importance to me in the discussion that I thought I was having with this person.

Unfortunately, there are two sides to this coin. I often catch myself being distracted away from the conversations I'm having with people, even if the conversation is interesting or if the other person is telling me something important to them and I have to step away from them. I think about the feelings that I get from this happening to me, and wonder if they feel the same way when I do that to them. I want them to know that what they say has relevance and that I do want to listen to them. I want to let them know that they are more important than bell peppers! (even though they may not know what i mean when I say that) I want to look at them and them that they are important to me and I want to listen to every word that drips out of their mouth when we're discussing something, but I feel that sometimes my actions would make me a hypocrite and they wouldn't listen because of that. Sometimes, I get caught looking at bell peppers instead of the human next to me. I'm regretful. I know the feeling, and rather not pass it on.

Next time, please listen for those moments when someone is talking. They'll appreciate being more important than bell peppers.