Did you hear or did you listen?

Can we hear but not listen? Or listen without hearing? Who determines the meaning of each when we talk to someone who doesn't pay attention to what we say?

I feel bad when someone chooses to stay hurting instead of working to improve themselves so they're happy. But if they don't want to work as hard at getting better as they do at staying down, then what more can anyone do?

Fighting the demons of mental illness is not easy. But if we don't want to struggle every single day of our lives, then fighting is the way to go.