Ears open, Lips sealed

Sometimes when people come to you with problems, they're not really looking for solutions, but just someone who'll listen.

Most people are capable of soving their own problems (which is how it should be anyway..), but sometimes are so bogged down by the apparent monster that faces them, that their minds blank out and they don't know what to do. Its not a lack of capability that's keeping them from finding a solution. Mostly, its a feeling of being overwhelmed and of being left completely alone to tackle something big, when others don't even care. When people come to you with problems, more often than not, they are looking for one of two things - either some sympathy or just a sounding board.

An "Oh you poor baby!" can work wonders at times (you can rephrase it for the guys who think they're macho, but believe me, they need it too!) Just the fact that someone understands, is enough to give the tired runner his second wind. And sometimes when you just speak out your worries, and give them definition, they diminish in magnitude and become a lot easier to handle.

Everyone has plenty of 'I told you so's and 'You should... blah blah', but not enough people are just willing to listen. The world needs a few more listeners... are you ready to zip the lip?