Quotes about owls being wise

There was an old owl who sat in an oak.
The more he watched; the less he spoke.
The less he spoke; the more he heard.
Why can’t we be like that wise old bird?

That’s an interesting hoot that deserves some pondering.

One of the biggest causes of stressed or broken relationships is ineffective communication.  Both people speak but nobody sits quietly, watches, and listens.

“He (or she) just doesn’t listen to me!”

In our business, we hear this frequently about spouses, children, bosses, and colleagues.  This seems to be particularly true when there are disagreements or conflict.  In “The Couples’ Comfort Book,” author Jennifer Louden says, “when in conflict, people listen for a maximum of 14 seconds.”

What occurs then?  When the listening stops, here are some things that begin:  interrupting, yelling, ignoring, escaping, cowering, probing, and preaching.

Is it possible this “lack of listening” is the reason for the disagreement, misunderstanding, and conflict?

I think so, and I believe this “lack of listening” phenomenon occurs far more regularly in our relationships than most of us would care to admit, whether there is conflict or not.

As I strive to become more consciously aware of my thinking, speaking, and behavioural habits, I see it in myself.  How do I know this?

• My mother-in-law recently stayed with us for a week.  Immediately after several different conversations, I realized I couldn’t recall exactly what she just said.  My mind was wandering elsewhere. Hmmm!

• A client was explaining something to me about his business and I assumed I knew what he thought and felt.  In reality, I found later that I had no flippin’ idea.  A mind-reader I am not.

• I interrupted my son, Jamie, before he was finished speaking.  I was going to fix-it for him, or defer to my own autobiographical story.

• Carol was explaining something to me and I became aware that I already had a rebuttal formed to prove that I was right and she was wrong, and yet I hadn’t listened effectively, or asked for clarification to totally understand her perspective.

Am I afflicted with an extremely bad case of psychological defection (please humour me!), or do similar things occur for you?

I believe comparable situations are why many conversations seem to go round and around, tempers flare, feelings get hurt, and directions get misconstrued – neither person has actually listened to understand.

Maybe this is “normal” in society.  However, when I look at statistics on marital breakdown, family violence, employee retention and satisfaction, workplace stress, and mediation battles, it helps me to recognize that I don’t want to be “normal.”  I’d rather be different – stand out on a positive, effective limb, like the owl.

Here are my easy “observant-owl” strategies, and I challenge you to apply these too.  Naturally it’s your choice, just as it is mine.

• Attention – focus on the other person.  Set aside all other thoughts and actions.  Avoid distractions: other people or conversations, nearby activities, phone calls, e-mails, TV, music.

• Connection – pace, or match to build greater rapport and trust.  Make eye contact, notice facial expressions, eye movement, breathing rate, other body language, and then match these.  I’m not meaning you should imitate him/her.  Sit in a similar way (not exactly the same), match their breathing rate, smile when they smile, etc.  When you are subtle with this, they feel comfortable speaking with you because you are “just like them.”

• Listen – to understand the words and the associated feelings.  Ask for clarification on anything you don’t totally understand.   It is not important that you agree; it is vitally important to understand.

• Wait – allow silence.  When the other person ends his/her statement, wait and count – one wise old owl, two wise old owls, three wise old owls….  The silence is golden and indicates to the other person that you care about him/her, and want to ensure they have completed what they wanted to say.

• Think – in this silence-time, ponder on your understanding of the conversation and formulate your thoughts proactively, rather than reactively.

• Reply respectfully – either with clarifying questions or with your own wise thoughts.  Use inclusive, engaging statements such as, “Yes, and I feel…,” “I respect your opinion and I see that…,” “I hear what you are saying and….”  Avoid “No,” “But,” “You’re wrong,” “That’s stupid,” or any other statement that sets up invisible walls of defence or separation.

• Verbalize your complete thought and repeat the cycle.

When I give the other person this “psychological air-time” (it is a gift), and really listen to understand, they will usually return the gift to me.  They may not be consciously aware of the process; they will feel valued and respected.  It’s a win/win conversation.

I believe that every person has exceptional knowledge and wisdom, and most people are happy to share their expertise with others, when someone will listen.  I continue to learn so many valuable things from others when I close my mouth and open my eyes, ears, and heart.

I have finally learned that I am not the “king of the beasts.”  I do realize that I am an important and valuable member of this forest community – where cooperativeness, helpfulness, respect and love will help us all to survive and thrive.

You are a member of the community too.  What are joy and happiness worth to you?  If you want to eliminate or minimize arguments, sarcasm, disrespect, anger, resentment, and heartache, these easy “observant-owl” strategies will work for you too.  I guarantee it is worth the effort.

I’m investing more of my time perched on a good sturdy branch, watching, listening, and learning.  I’d be honoured to have you join me and the view is great.

I received this pic in my mailbox and instantly got inspired.

Here is my take on the word OWL.

What does the idiom “as wise as an owl” mean?

• It means someone who is really smart. In lots of stories and myths, owls were associated with wisdom.
• Some synonyms are: wise; worldy- wise; experienced or intelligent.
• Owls have a reputation for being wise because their large eyes and stern, professional glare make them look educated. Often, their eyes are “framed” as if they’re wearing eyeglasses, which many associate with studious work. And their large, feathery heads seem to have plenty of room for big brains.

Some famous quotes referring to wise owls:

• “Can grave and formal pass for wise when men the solemn Owl despise?” => Benjamin Franklin.
• “A wise old owl sat on an oak; the more he saw, the less he spoke; the less he spoke, the more he heard. Why aren’t we like that wise old bird?” – Edward H. Richards.

Conversation Questions:

• Did any of your school teachers remind you of a wise owl?
• Do you know any wise owls today?

What does the idiom “a night owl” mean?

• “a night owl”:This refers to a person who habitually stays up late and is active or who works at night, as in “You can call her after midnight, because she’s a night owl”. The term derives from the primary nocturnal habits of the owl. Usually, people who are night owls stay awake past midnight and extreme night owls may stay awake until just before or after dawn.
• Night owls tend to feel most energetic just before they go to sleep at night.
• Some curious synonyms for ‘a night owl’ are: lacking restraint; indulgent; wayward; wicked or wanton!
• This colloquial term, originally used in the late 1500s for an owl that is active at night, was transferred to nocturnal human beings in the mid- 1800s. There is the sense of “one who seeks prey at night, one who stays up late”.

Who are some famous night owls?

• Thomas Edison;
• Adolf Hitler (during WWII, slept from about 4 to 10 am and napped between 5 and 7pm);
• Winston Churchill;
• James Joyce;
• Joseph Stalin.

Conversation Questions:

1. Are you a night owl?
2. Do you know anyone who’s a night owl?
3. Do they work better at night?

You can like it if you learned something, Share it if you foudn it useful. Post something if you want to practice writing in English. We would ove to hear from you.

LEM..xo!

p.s. Thanks SLP for your precious work.

The Greatest Inspirational
Wisdom Quotes

This page is a collection of inspirational Wisdom Quotes.

The wise people I've met have come from all walks of life and share a few common traits.  They manage to help people, without telling them what to do.

It's as if they magically pull the answers out from within. They live life full of passion, yet are not attached to the outcome of their actions.They have a carefree and happy attitude.

It seems being wise involves a way of life, without getting caught up in the hows of life.

Enjoy this page of wisdom quotes, it has been inspired by the wise people I've met in my life.

The Wisdom Quotes below are a great starting point. For further inspiring wisdom check out the inspirational articles section.

Wisdom Quotes - Related Pages

Deepak Chopra Quotes

Diversity Quotes

Death Quotes

Dying Quotes

Failure Quotes

Great Inspirational Quotes

Kindness Quotes

Patience Quotes

Short Inspirational Quotes

Wayne Dyer Quotes

Return from Wisdom Quotes to Home Page

I hope you enjoyed this page of wisdom quotes.