“People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

Rebecca O’Conner is a nurse at New York Presbyterian Hospital. When she saw the horrific images of the Asian tsunami, she knew she had to do something, so she flew to Sri Lanka with eight other medical Professionals. They set up a makeshift clinic in a downtown Sri Lankan mosque, treating hundreds of people a day with respiratory problems and foot and leg wounds. Then they discovered there was a hospital less than a mile away. So the obvious question was asked, “Why are people coming to us when there is another large hospital clinic so close?” A Sri Lankan friend was quick to answer, “At the hospital someone asks your name, age, complaint and then you are given a sheet of paper and told to wait somewhere. Here you sit down with the person, listen to their story and try to treat what you can.” —
There is an old proverb that is true: “People do not care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Hurting people look for care and compassion.

When was the last time you took the time to really listen to another person?