Saturday was class 2 of Behind-The-Scenes Radio Production 101 at the Chetwyn Rodgers Drive Development Center on the West Side of Chicago.
Once again, my hearing impaired students taught me many lessons that I had not experienced in a while from my non hearing impaired students.
Althougth my students can't hear with their physical ears, they can hear even better without them. Huh? Doesn't make sense? Let me explain.
I watch them throughout class and notice how attentive they are. I watched them as they watched their sign language interpreter, Dr. Carol. (Who's a sweetheart!)
I watched them go beyond the call of duty by assisting me in anyway they could. One young man noticed there was a problem with the tripod we were using, and stopped the class to offer his services. He went to his car and got another tripod. How thoughtful! He didn't have to do that, but he did.
He could have kept on watching the sign language interpreter, but instead, he turned his eyes to a problem, and immediately went about the business of helping.
So what do I mean by the fact that my hearing impaired students listen better without the help of their ears? They listen with their hearts!
His heart showed him I was in need of assistance, and he didn't hesitate to help. How awesome is that.
Listening is an art. Listening doesn't always come from the ear drum. Listening from the heart is one of the main focus of the Sufi order. Some of our greatest lessons come from people and things that we don't understand.
Religion sometimes keeps us trapped in a certain way of thinking. It's time we step out of the darkness of religion, and into the light of the Creator, no matter what you call it, him or her.
So the next time you're approached with something or by someone you don't necessarily agree with or understand, simply ask the Universe to open your heart so that you may have a new experience.
That's what listening with the heart is all about!
My hearing impaired students are doing a great job of teaching me that as well as other things. Wow! Just think! I went there to teach, and was taught a few things only the Creator could show me through my students!
Have a heart! Take a hearing impaired student to lunch and watch your life be transformed!
