Am I Paying Attention?

Have you ever been halfway listening to someone, and they say something that you really aren't paying attention to, but then you realize that what they said was really important, and it stops you dead in your tracks? That's what happened to me today. I was out working in our yard, and the little boy from across the street came over. He's pretty lonely, so he talks a lot, and I have to admit, that in the midst of stories about snakes that he really never saw and adventures that never really happened, I kind of tuned him out. Then, the following exchange took place:

"Jason, my shoe's untied, can you tie it for me?"
"Sure, sit down on the step, and I'll tie it for you."
"When I was five I knew how to tie my shoe, but now that I'm six, I don't anymore."
"That's odd. Did you forget how?"
"No, it's just that no one's ever shown me how before."

I was back raking leaves, before I realized what he said. Here this little boy is, six-years-old, and no one's ever taken time to show him how to tie his shoe. It's hard to see how to rake leaves with tears in your eyes. Suddenly, I was tuned in to every word he said, listening for what was really being said behind all the made-up stories, and lies about his life. Here's the thing: it's easy for me to tune people out and pretend that I'm listening and engaged when really my mind is far away. I do it because I spend so much time listening to people. I do it, because I'm pretty good at asking the right questions and making the right comments so that folks think I'm paying attention. But mostly, I do it because my heart is not nearly softened enough towards people, and it's days like today that remind me that a lot is being said, and I need to pay attention.