How Good Is Your Hearing?

A farmer had spent all his life working the land in North Yorkshire. He had watched his father and grandfather before him working long hours but finding great satisfaction in their lifestyle. They had taught him the value of maintaining family unity, concern for his neighbours and respect for the land. It was like a bygone era that remained untouched by the world outside. Any onlooker would see that hard work battling the land developed discipline and patience. To some it would seem a lonely, isolated existence.

 The reality was that simple lessons had been learned over the years and had become trusted ideals. The character of the man was to take what he had, not what he thought he should have, cultivate it and always respect the land. A young nephew, who had fixed on a career in the more modern business world, constantly asked his uncle to visit the centre of Leeds with him for a day’s relaxation. Time and time again he resisted the idea, not being able to recall the time he last ventured into the City. A persistent nephew asked so often, that in time he felt the need, very reluctantly, to make just one visit.

Arriving in Leeds, the farmer was a little unsettled by the crowd of people rushing about and the noise all around. He remarked on this to his nephew, suggesting the traffic and people would not be a setting he would wish for every day!

 “Yes uncle, but this is a different world where dreams are made and people prosper”, said the nephew with optimism. Walking along a street to a shopping mall the uncle suddenly stopped and said “Listen to that” “What?” said the nephew, “I cannot hear anything?”

The farmer walked to a small patch of green grass, not recently cut. He bent down, cupped his hands and held a grasshopper.

 How on earth could you have heard that over all this noise?” asked the nephew. “Everyone could hear if they wished”, said the uncle. “Not me uncle, it’s impossible”, asserted the young nephew. “You are wrong” said the farmer “and I will prove it”

He took out a handful of change and tipping his hand he let it fall to the pavement. Immediately, the crowd stopped and looked.

 Moral of the story:

We hear what we want to hear, when in fact we should hear what we need to hear.