The Final Goodbye (3) By Dr. Michael Brooks
Hopefully, you’re seeing the difference you can make in others lives by simply listening to their story. As we continue on with this story, when meeting perfect strangers learn how they impact our everyday lives by being a good listener.
She seemed perfectly OK with leaving this world for a better place. I can imagine the pain she was in and how the family was hurting as well. I told her that I’m just a phone call away and will be there for her, told her that I loved her and was so thankful for her being my friend. We spoke for about two minutes, and then I asked her to put Joe on the phone. I asked Joe if she needed someone to pray for her, then call me, and put the phone up to her ear, and I’d pray with her over the phone. He agreed, and we both wept as we said goodbye.
My friend loved her family until the end
You never know who will be encouraged by a kind word you say, or a meeting with a stranger that has uplifting words for you. I have had many meetings with strangers and not accidental meetings, but Divine appointments with people in need. How this meeting with a woman flying from Fort Myers to Kansas City will forever change my life. She needed someone on this flight to help encourage her with a dreaded disease that was facing her. I know a lot of people who wouldn’t have struck up a conversation with this woman, they probably would have read their magazine, read a book or worked on their laptop missing a real opportunity of just listening to someone in need. I know some people we sit by on a plane are high maintenance and just talk to be heard. It takes someone with a heart for people to be a good listener.
On my final leg from Kansas City to Denver, I had an older gentleman probably in his mid-70’s sitting next to me. He was quiet at first. He looked at me and asked where my final journey was, and I told him Denver. He was flying on to Montana to see his daughter and grand-kids. He hadn’t seen them since his divorce a few year earlier. He wanted to spend more time with them, but because his divorce was a bitter one and expensive one at that, he didn’t have the funds to make the trip very often.
He then went into great detail about his unwanted divorce and how painful it was for him, his adult children and grand-kids. I can imagine I said, it must be hard. He said that he was retired and needed to see all his kids. I just listened to him share his personal story, that’s all he wanted is someone to hear what he had to say. Again, just listening is key to many hurting people, they don’t need advice, just your listening ear. He talked about his divorce and why he thought it happened and didn’t understand why his wife of 50 years just walked away. I know there are two sides to every story, I just heard his. I could tell he was feeling better just talking about it with a total stranger. Again, my suggestion is to be a good listener and make no judgments about their pain or story they share with you. You’ll soon realize how much better your life is after hearing their story and appreciate where you’re at in your life.
Next week we will conclude the story of “The Final Goodbye.” I talk about how you can make a difference in everyday people’s lives. I also will challenge you to make that happen for the lonely people you know in your family and community.
Do you feel it’s hard to reach out to someone who is lonely? Are you lonely and want someone to reach out to you and you’re not sure how to make that happen? Would you like to find a core group of friends to do things within a safe setting? Have you experienced loneliness and want to help others who struggle with being alone? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you need contact Dr. Mike and set up an appointment. Don’t allow loneliness to control the new experiences that you can enjoy today.
Please call Dr. Mike at 303.880.9878. He can help you. He has helped several people going through tough times of loneliness.
Dr. Michael Brooks is the founder of Applicable Counseling and life coaching Services. It is affordable, accessible, anonymous and available by appointment from the privacy of your home. To avoid travel time and the comfort of home, many clients prefer to meet with Dr. Mike over the phone or via Skype (if you want to Skype with Dr. Mike send him an email at mbrooks3353@gmail.com to set up an appointment). The convenience of this type of Counseling/Coaching is the most effective means of Life Coaching for those who live outside of Colorado. Give Dr. Mike a call! You’ll be glad you did!