So again, here is another of about five sample chapters of my new book, “I Believe in You.” This is a major departure from what most folks are used to seeing from me. I can best describe it as a “giant hallmark card.” I wanted to put these samples out so if anyone was interested in buying it (at the moment it is only available on kindle) they would know what they were getting.
Norman Mailer once said, “Writing a book is like being a prizefighter . . . win or lose, you are going to take a beating.” When I publish a book I never know how people will take it, as I try to always push envelope. And this is, again, a major departure from my usual comedic style . . . But I think we can all use a little positive reinforcement and positive thinking now and then, so . . . here goes.
You Are a Good Listener
With all the many wonders of modern medicine, there is one malady, more common than the common cold, that has yet to be cured. We seem to be caught up in an epidemic of disconnection. This disease has many symptoms, but its cause is the same: it comes from sheer loneliness, a sense of isolation, or worse, the belief that our presence on this earth does not matter to anyone else.
It is not always clear how to address this problem. Many quick fixes come to mind. We can try to ignore it. We can try to take our minds off of it with excessive work or play. We can turn up the stereo or eat ever greater amounts of chocolate. But in the end, dealing with the hunger of our hearts by going on an emotional fast never works. The only answer is to reach out and somehow acquire the simple acknowledgment, by another human being, of our existence.
This is, of course, easier said than done. The unwritten rules of our modern society make it seem inappropriate, or even taboo, to openly ask for this basic spiritual sustenance. We are taught to be silently stoic, for fear of appearing weak. These teachings are very hard to overcome with mere logic, for when we compare our true selves with all of the apparent beauty and excitement of other people’s lives, it is easy to think ourselves unworthy of another person’s attention. Even if we were not hobbled by a fear of rejection, in purely practical terms, the challenge is rather daunting. In this twenty-four/seven, 7200 rpm hamster-wheel world we live in, it seems unlikely that we will ever find someone who, with all the many pressures they must face in their own life, would be willing to put their own issues aside for a moment, and focus their energies on our problems instead of their own.
And yet, against all odds, I have found such a person in you.
You have taken the time to lift the many burdens from my heavily weighted spirit. All the world’s sadness and isolation seem to vanish in a moment when I am in your presence. And what is most amazing is that you seem to be able to accomplish this great feat with great ease, by doing almost nothing at all.
Nothing, that is, except listening.
It takes a while to fully appreciate just how skilled you are at the subtle art of listening. Your calm, almost motionless presence has enormous power. A strange tingling euphoria comes over me when I find myself under your intense gaze. I feel as though I am sitting for some great portrait painter who can see through my flimsy facade of outward appearance. You are aware of my true self.
There is a feeling of great comfort that comes from knowing my many woes are being borne by another much more capable than myself. Your experience and your wisdom are brought to bear, and more often than not you seem to be able to cut to the heart of the matter with little difficulty.
Like so many others, I immediately put complete trust in you without any hesitation. It is easy to sense your open-minded approach to life. You have learned to accept your own frailties and shortcomings, and you accept them in others as well. I know that when I tell you of some difficult decision, you will not make a quick judgement. Instead, you will try to see my side of it. I know, when I present my case, I will get a fair hearing. Your own life has taught you to be forgiving, of both yourself and of others. You do not expect others to think like you, any more than you expect yourself to think like anyone else. As a result, there is a grand unspoken permission to talk with you about things that, with others, are tacitly forbidden.
And so we begin. Sometimes, you solve the problem without saying a single word, for you let me speak and speak without interruption. As the tangled web of emotions plays itself out, your presence provides that little bit of needed objectivity, and I can see the problem and the solution for myself.
But there are times when I am not able to extricate myself, and that is where your wisdom and patience shine forth in all their glory.
There is more to it than simply listening to the words. You know that people do not always directly express what is on their minds, and so you must decode these encrypted messages. Despite all the distractions and red herrings that are put in your path, you are always able to cut to the heart of the matter. There is something almost magical afoot, for even when people do not know what is troubling them, even when they are unable to articulate their thoughts and feelings, you seem to have some sixth sense that allows you to understand them anyway.
I suppose much of what you do could be explained away as the application of simple reasoning. But what about those instances where that cannot explain it? Is it possible that you possess truly psychic powers, allowing you to tell so much about someone, so much more than what they are saying? This is the great mystery of your vision. Part of it can be explained by your God-given talent and intelligence. But more than that, I think it is because you have also had the courage to go spelunking into the mysterious domain of your own heart, further than most of us are willing to go, and this allows you to guide the rest of us so well when called upon to do so.
I do think, sometimes, that your heart hears too well. Your remarkable powers of perception allow you to both see and feel the pain of others, and while I admire your ability in this realm, I also feel sad for you. It must be a great burden to be so aware of the many sorrows of the world and not be able to put them out of your consciousness and ignore them as so many others are able to do. But you seem to have accepted this burden well. Through great personal discipline, you have learned to accept your own limitations, and that allows me to tell you about my troubles without worrying that you might think I am asking too much, or implying that it is your job to solve my problems for me. You know that, at times, we all just need a little bit of solace and support to get ourselves through the day, and you provide that whenever I need it. It’s nothing more than a little bit of listening. But this little bit of listening, which often seems like nothing at all, is, at times, everything.
Excerpt from “I Believe in You”
(c) 2012 Justin Locke
This book is currently only available through the Amazon Kindle Store. You do not need to own a kindle, they have free software so you can read kindle books on a PC or tablet. A paperback version is coming eventually.
Sample Chapters from “I Believe in You” :
