In a secondary school in Benue State, there was a boy named Samuel who loved talking. He always had something to say. During discussions, he spoke first and often interrupted others before they finished. Samuel believed being smart meant always having the answer. Because of this habit, many classmates avoided serious conversations with him. They felt he never truly listened. Even when someone shared a problem, Samuel quickly jumped in with advice without fully understanding the situation. One day, his Civic Education teacher gave the class a group assignment. Samuel naturally took charge and began giving instructions. But the group struggled because he barely allowed others to contribute. After observing them, the teacher called Samuel aside and said, “Speaking shows confidence, but listening shows wisdom.” Those words stayed in his mind. For the first time, Samuel began paying attention to how often he interrupted people. He noticed he was always preparing his next response instead of truly listening. He decided to change. In the next group meeting, Samuel stayed quiet and listened carefully. He allowed everyone to speak fully before responding. Something surprising happened. He began hearing ideas he had completely missed before. His teammates felt respected and became more engaged. The group worked better than ever. Samuel learned a life-changing lesson: listening is not weakness. It is a powerful skill. Sometimes, the best way to learn is not by speaking more, but by listening better. Many people listen only to reply. Few listen to understand. And those who truly listen often gain the deepest wisdom. How often do you listen to understand rather than simply waiting for your turn to speak?
