Are We Listening?

When I was growing up I was very quiet.  I knew how to talk, and did it very well when I wanted to but, overall, I was quiet.  I am still a quiet adult for the most part, meaning I don't feel the need to fill every minute with idle chit chat.  That's just me.  Over time I realized people liked using me as a sounding board.  I would listen but because I didn't offer much advice, I felt useless. 
Now, that I have been involved in this car accident, and 2 weeks later its constantly somewhere on my mind and causing pain in other areas, I realized the value of listening.    I have spoken to several people about our accident and typically, before you can say much of anything to them,  they will say things like this:   just be glad you are ok, cars can be replaced people can't,  oh I had a similar experience and then I have to listen to them; then its over and I'm left standing there feeling, well, just as bad.   Some people truly would listen (thank you!) including our rabbi from the conservative synagogue we belong to and the Chabad rabbi's wife whom we saw right afterwards and spoke to later on in the week---thank you!  They just listened, they offered symapthy and anything else we needed.   It was so nice just to be able to talk, to have someone willing to listen.  I always thought I wasn't doing any good just listening, but this is what people need the most.  My husband says people need to hear themselves talk aloud so the answers will come to them.  He is so right.
In Judasim it is taught that when we make a shiva call we let the mourners talk first, unless they initiate the conversation we just need to be quiet and be there with them.  It is such good advice.   We all just need to know we are not alone.   
I also used to be the one to say "just be glad you're ok", and "cars can be replaced".  These are all true but they are also not what people need to hear, these comments made me feel like I had no reason to be upset, that I should get up and move on.   I'm not upset with anyone who said these things to me, they meant well, and as  I said I used to do this.  What it taught me was that all of these years of being a quiet sounding board and letting people talk was not usesless, but rather an asset. 
I felt the need to pass this on.  Are we listening?