"Being alive is energy. Music is energy; its sound moves, air molecules, and then you receive the motion that energy moves the little follicles in your ear and, and then your brain interprets all of that sound, moves the hairs on your skin. It's not just sound, it is touch." (~Yo-Yo Ma*)
It's not just sound, it's touch.
The mystery of listening is the way it connects us.
We may be inclined to believe this connection is the result of the understanding that results from receiving another's words (their perspective).
But, could it be that the connection is not only mental and emotional, but physical?
It explains the recoil at a harsh tone and the joy in exchanging life's details with an old friend.
Listening is not simply receiving words.
It's receiving energy.
To be a truly great listener, we are aware of the physicality of listening.
*February 28, 2023: ReThinking podcast with Adam Grant https://www.ted.com/podcasts/rethinking-with-adam-grant/how-yo-yo-ma-sustains-his-creative-energy-transcript
