I was talking to my sister

the other day

and I said, “I go to sleep, listening to the sounds outside.”

“But don’t you live in the city?” She asked.

“Yes,” I said.

“But you don’t like the city,” she said.

“That’s true.”

“Then why do you listen to the city sounds?”

“For the same reason I listen to people. I hear their conversations

and I know, I don’t want any part of them. If you don’t listen, you don’t know

and you have to listen to remind yourself.”

She looked at me funny. “What about nature?” She asked. “Why don’t you live in nature?”

“Nature can teach us something, if we listen to it; just how people will teach us something

if we listen to them. Nature teaches us

there is no time

pride is foolish

we can only afford to have pride in the city

when we are around people

because nature tests us

and if we don’t know our limitations

it’s a killer.

Time

and all the things that go along with it

are fake—

schedules

dates

advancement.

I live too much in my own mind

too far away from reality

to live in nature

Even though, I love nature

I still love to listen to the city.”

My sister actually thought about what I said. Then she said, “I prefer a quiet house

at night

I like to read

in the quiet

sleep in the quiet.”

I guess that’s the difference between us

I want to hear all the nasty words

I shut the world out

but I still listen to it

I would ask to hear every nasty word said against me

they far outweigh the good

as they always do

because there are more nasty words said

than good

How do I know this?

I’ve been listening…