Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Listening to That Small Inner Voice

Have you been nudged to call someone?
Who are you being nudged to call?

As I think back over the past (not quite) 3 years, reflecting on what I've learned and how I've grown, one area pops into my mind frequently..."listening to that small inner voice, that little nudge, that unexplained feeling that I need to do something." These "somethings" range from calling someone (not sure why, I just feel I need to let them know I'm thinking of them) to sending someone a card or gift (just because) to writing about a specific topic in this blog. When I get these feelings I can't explain why I feel that way, I just do - some call it a "gut feeling" or a whisper from God.

But it doesn't stop there. When I've followed through on those "nudgings," more times than not, it ends up with the recipient letting me know they were having a rough day and needed that little "thinking of you" call, note, or gift.  That blog entry - which I suddenly got the urge to write out of nowhere - ends up being exactly what a reader had been feeling, helping them through something they were struggling with, or simply lifting their spirits. 

A continued reinforcement of the importance of listening and acting when you hear that "little voice."

Listen to that little nudge...there's a reason for it, even if you don't know why.


Today, I was clearly reminded of the importance of listening to the little nudge.

A year ago (maybe even a little longer ago than that) I had this strong tug that I needed to send the driver of the truck that Austin hit a note letting him know we did not have (nor have ever had) any ill-feelings towards him. We never blamed him for the accident, because that's just what it was...an accident - being in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

But I never "found" the time to sit and put my thoughts down, never sent him this message. About a week ago this thought popped into my head, "There's no need to write the letter anymore." I don't know why that thought hit me, until today...

Today, I read the obituaries from back "home". The driver (of the truck that Austin hit) passed away from a brain tumor, he was only 52 years old. I will never know if he had needed my message, but I do know that I should have listened to that "small inner voice". As I'm typing this entry another thought hits me, Austin can now tell him himself....

The more I live, the more I realize the importance to listen to that nagging feeling, that little nudge - even if you don't know why.... 

Life is too short to let those moments pass, and you never know when your words and actions will be a gift to someone who needed it at just that moment....

"Never ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it's enough." Robert Heller

(Post edited 1/19/2022 for grammatical purposes and image added.)

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