listening

"The attention of the listener serves as accompaniment to the music of the discourse. Everyone should be provided with that sort of indulgence, and that readiness to listen, which makes the thoughts of others bloom. It is a bad sort of cleverness which deprives the character of kindness, indulgence and sympathy, which makes it difficult for us to live and talk with others, to make them pleased with us and please with themselves--in a word, to love and be lovable. The gentle mind is patient, gives itself without hurry to the task of understanding, is open to conviction, afraid of obstinacy, and would rather learn than take the lead." ~Joseph Joubert

pigeon-holes

"We should always have in our heads one free and open corner where we can give place, or lodging as they pass, to the ideas of our friends. It really becomes unbearable to converse with men whose brains are divided into well-filled pigeon-holes, where nothing can enter from outside. Let us have hospitable hearts and minds." ~Joseph Joubert