Describe the significance of communication in your life. What is its value? What are the core ingredients of good communication?

Rich dialogue is the heartbeat of philosophy. At times, we can unveil truths and solve problems together that we could never manage alone. Both of my books, How Philosophy Can Save Your Life: 10 Ideas That Matter Most and Little Big Minds: Sharing Philosophy with Kids, count on conversation. In my philosophizing circles I find that the ability to engage one another has been sacrificed in many lives to the hustle of busy lives; mistakenly, many have substituted a text message or twittered statement for meaningful interaction. But I never meet with any group whose members do not long for genuine communication, who do not express a yearning to speak and to be heard. What to do?

A sincere exchange of ideas requires skillful listening. What does listening entail? It requires complete concentration. I am absorbing what you say. I am not hearing a few words and forming my response as you speak. I am listening. Then, when you have finished speaking, I consider my response. When I respond to you, respectfully, our words link our lives. This ability to listen can be honed with practice - listening to a piece of music with undivided attention, to a bird's song, to children at play, to footsteps as you walk. We must turn over our distractions in pursuit of communication. The rewards are immeasurable. Who can forget the experience of really being heard, of having someone take in your words and their meaning and hold them as their own?