listening

A stupid man's report of what a clever man says can never be accurate, because he unconsciously translates what he hears into something he can understand.
--Bertrand Russell

It's a rare listener who will hear what you're really saying. I like writing letters because it's an uninterupted stretch of time where I can say whatever I want, and hopefully my way of speaking can get into someone's head, and they can learn how to hear me.

There's nothing I want more than to be understood. And what I have to say is different because I don't allow a lot of the standard influences.

Listening to me takes skill, intelligence, and patience when I'm long-winded. I'm so lucky there's a brilliant handful of people who give me this.