Coming up for air

When I was a kid, my parents and I had lively discussions about the difference between "hearing" and "listening." I heard what they said, but I didn't always listen. It's a fine distinction, and one I didn't fully appreciate until I had kids of my own.

And until I started to edit documents professionally. I read a lot of reports as part of my job, but I realized this week that I don't actually read them. I read for audience, grammar, spelling, sentence structure, reading level, organization, and document flow. I never read just to appreciate the report itself, mostly because there never seems to be time for that.

This week, we got in the printed copies of Supporting Community-Based Substance Abuse Prevention: Lessons Learned from 10 Years of the ASAP Center.* I have spent a lot of time with this report over the last two months editing, drawing graphics, and laying it out on the page. I have certain sections memorized, I spent so much time tweaking them. When the printed copies came in, I picked one up and flipped through it. It looked good. And I realized that I didn't have a clue what the report actually said.

So--even though I didn't really have time--I sat down and read it, cover to cover. Without my green editing pen in hand. Without trying to find any minor errors I should have caught before. Without any motive other than to appreciate the work that my coworkers have accomplished over the last 10 years.

When I was done, it was worth it. I really enjoyed taking that time to read the report and learn from it. Before I read it, I knew what the ASAP Center does, because I talk to them all the time. But coming up for air to read the report gave me true insight into what they do. I saw the big picture, not just the seemingly mundane, day-to-day tasks I always get bogged down in. The ASAP Center has done a lot in the last 10 years, and I didn't appreciate the scope of that until I really read the report.

Going forward, I'm going to try to make more time to come up for air and read the reports that cross my desk. I'm sure my colleagues will be happy I set aside my green editing pen, if only for a few moments.

* You can find the ASAP Center report at www.asapcenter.org/prevsupport.html.