Will Somebody Really Listen?

I have found it very interesting how many people there are who spend their lives with nobody to listen to them. I knew a young man when I was a teenager who never did feel validated by his parents because they were both so busy talking that they wouldn't listen to anything that was going in his life. His important accomplishments were only important to him. Last night, our oldest son Brady and I were shooting some hoop on the driveway. Brady loves basketball. It is also a time that I enjoy a great deal because it gives me some alone time with him to visit and talk about life. He had kind of a rough day and so the combination of that for him and a lack of patience on my end had a lousy outcome. We ended the night with tears because when something didn't go his way it saddened him. Once that had happened all he wanted was some love from me and I told him that there was nothing to cry about. I realized afterward that I had errored in judgement. I apologized and we ended the night on a better note. He needed me to listen and then show forth some extra love. Each of us has or will be approached by someone in real need. In that time of need, I hope that I will stop, listen, and then show an increased measure of love.