#4 – Decide you know what he's going to say before he says it.
That old cliché about finishing each other's sentences sounds romantic but he would really prefer you didn't finish his sentences for him all the time. It shows a lack of patience or desire to really hear what he's trying to say if you jump to conclusions by saying what you expect him to say.
photo by bogenfreund
It's rude to interrupt someone when they are talking. In a one on one conversation it simply shows that you would rather be doing something other than listening to him. But what about in group settings?
- When he's telling a story to someone else that you know, do you butt in and finish it yourself?
- Do you tell the punch line of his jokes?
- Do you correct him when he gets some minor detail wrong in front of his audience?
I know that most women don't do this because they are trying to be rude, or irritating. Maybe you're trying to save his audience from boredom by helping him get to the point more quickly. Or, it can feel good to know the story too, as a sign of how well you know each other. You may think there isn't any problem with you butting in to help tell it since it's your story too. You may just be trying to join in on the conversation.
I haven't met a man yet who enjoys being interrupted when he's talking.
photo by Skelekitten
I know it can make you crazy to listen to someone repeat themselves over and over again. You want to just finish for them so you can move on. But the crazy thing about listening is that a person can't distinguish between listening and love. If you take the time to listen to someone, they will feel like you love them, whether you feel like it or not.
photo by vargklo
Just think of it as an unspoken I love you when you clamp down on your tongue and let someone, spouse or otherwise, bumble to the end of a sentence. Regardless of the relationship, learning to listen is a discipline that will only help you to grow and mature as a person, so it's worth doing just for that.
Carrien has many adventures to read about at She Laughs at the Days
Read the other posts in this series: #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10.
Are you an interrupter? Do you finish sentences or prematurely blurt out the punchline to a joke? I'm sure we've all been guilty of this from time to time. Extraordinary Wives, do you show your husband love by listening?
Not a member of The League of Extraordinary Wives? E-mail us at wedblissfully@gmail.com for an invitation.
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