Listening vs. Hearing

This weekend I had a horse show, and I went in for my first course and jumped the wrong fence. I had just repeated to my trainer where I was supposed to go, but I still did not do it right. There is a difference between hearing and acknowledging what someone is saying. In "Hills Like White Elephants" the man and girl have a long conversation, but neither one cares to listen to the other, and they completely ignore the subject at hand. They talk about drinks and the scenery instead of the abortion, and when they dance around the subject, they do not have strong communication. They both talk but not in response to each other. Listening and hearing are two different things. One can listen but that does not include comprehending what one is saying. In order to hear someone you have to listen and then understand and realize what the other person is trying to get across.