When things were hectic in my office as an academic counselor at North Shore Community College, I would joke with the students that if they gave me 10 minutes, I could change their lives. At times, it actually worked. The formula was intensive listening for seven minutes, and then three minutes of guided questions that pushed the student toward the path they already wanted, but needed permission to pursue. I saw and heard those students; I listened and showed love and acceptance. Given that, a person can feel capable of doing anything.
At the moment, the political left seems lost. It has lost power at every level of government and lost traction in culture and even the media. Everyone is trying to figure out what happened in the wake of the November election and what needs to be done to getting this country back on track. My advice is simple. Listen to the working-class people who are struggling, especially the folks at the bottom of the economic ladder, and even more specifically working-class people of faith. For all his hypocrisy and all his flaws, Donald Trump knew how to listen. Most liberals don't.
