I believe listening is powerful(强效)medicine. It was Sunday. I had the last 1 to see and I got into her room. She was an old woman, sitting on the bed, trying to 2 her socks. Usually I said something like this, "How are you feeling? The nurse says your son is visiting you today. I believe you are 3 seeing him.
She stopped me with a serious voice, "Sit down, Doctor. This is my story, not yours."
I was surprised and embarrassed. I sat down and helped her with the socks. She began to tell me that her only son lived not far from her, 4 she had not seen him for five years She believed her health problems were worse because of 5 her son. After hearing her story and helping her put on her socks, I asked if there was 6 I could do for her. She 7 her head and smiled. All she wanted me to do was to listen.
Each story is different. Some are clear, others are not. Some are true, others are not, yet all those things do not really matter. What matters to the storyteller is that the story is heard.
Listening to someone's story costs nothing but it is the key to healing(康复). I often 8 what the woman taught me and I remind myself of the importance of stopping, sitting down and truly listening. I believe in the power of listening.
