Despite my occasional listening problems, I often find myself stuck in situations because I'm a listener.  Most people are talkers.  They'll talk no matter who's listening.  I'm more of a thinker than a listener, so I tend to keep my mouth shut unless prompted.  During conversations, I usually keep quiet because the things I'd like to say get caught by my filter, so they're restricted from leaving my head.  (When I'm presented with a problem, I can identify a solution.  That's my job [literally].  If a problem is presented and I'm forced to listen without providing a solution, or if I can tell my solution won't be accepted, it's a waste.)  But I consistently notice that I look for ways out of conversations because I don't want to listen anymore.  And more often than not, I remain trapped in painful conversations because I'm too timid and/or passive to do anything about it.  As a result, friendships and relationships are formed because a talker has found a listener.  It's an unusual set of circumstances for most normal people.  But for me, it's everyday life. 

Note:  This post has nothing to do Wendy.  I actually had two specific people in mind when I wrote it, neither of which read this site.