can you hear me?

I do not really like to talk about myself.  Not because I do not feel that I am interesting...

but because I feel there are not many good listeners in this world. 

A few of the ways people "listen"...

interrupt frequently
      talk over top of you
eyes glazed over
       change the subject abruptly
one-up you with something they've done "better"
   and, my personal favorite...
98.9% of their attention on their technology of choice (ahem, can we say iphone?) with an occasional "mm-hmm"

Why are we such poor listeners?

Sometimes I just stop talking in the middle of my sentence.
Or am so tempted to conduct a short quiz putting them awkwardly on the spot... were you REALLY listening?

I read something recently that said one of the greatest needs people have is to

                feel important to people.

Or at least to someone.

Maybe it's just me. Although, the above point proves it is not just me.
It makes me feel important when people listen. 

Really listen. 

And the list above does not count.