How many times have you experienced this?
A complete stranger comes and sits next to you and then starts talking about their deepest experiences, aspirations and life challenges, to which you never needed or asked to know.
Why would people trust a complete stranger? How do they decide that this person is trustworthy and will listen? Is it written on their face with a special enigmatic code “I can listen to you” that is only visible to the person in need of comfort?
Researches argue that people would trust a complete stranger if he/she looks like someone who has earned their trust previously. It is similar to Pavlov’s experiment where dogs associated the bell ring with food. But is it true? Evolution dictates the human features that are unique to each human being. Yet, are there specific common features that one can “see” in another person and label as a good listener? Is it a result of the perceptions we build throughout our lifetime around specific stereotypes?
For me, I believe it is a ‘Gift’, a precious gift. If a person can be a genuine listener providing comfort and assistance to any living being around them, then he/she should nurture it and grow it. Whether it’s a friend that listens to their friend, a parent listening to their child, a manager to their employee, a stranger to a passerby, a government to its citizen or a leader to their follower(s), we all need someone to talk to and someone that listens to us. It brings calm, positivity and harmony.
Let’s all listen to each other and let’s have this enigmatic code engraved on our forehead “I can listen to you.”