There is something incredibly precious that all of us have and can choose to give to others. It is like gold (precious) and yet, unlike gold, it has a healing power. And it doesn’t matter if we are rich or poor – we have it.

What we all have it our ability to pay attention. We can make a choice to pay attention to someone else. A choice to truly listen to someone else. We can listen with more than our ears – we can choose to fully engage, to bring our whole selves, to listen.

Give it a go today. Decide to truly listen to someone – it might be just for a few minutes. It could be listening to child in your household at breakfast time. It could be listening to a stranger at a bus stop. It could be listening to a friend over a cuppa or a pint. Put everything else aside and hear what they say. Listen with all that you have.

You will have given that person something precious. And you will find blessing in the gift.

This is Mindful Monday on 3 June 2019.

If you live in or near Cheltenham, book now for a series of three sessions: ‘Living in the present while learning from the past and helping to create the future’, all on Monday evenings at 7.30 pm at the Oasis in Cheltenham. You will get the most from the sessions if you are able to commit to all three (but you can still book for one or two).