Sense of Hearing...

While standing on the beach and surveying my surroundings I realize there are hundreds of people around me laughing and frolicking in the water and sand. A moment ago I was just standing there listening to the surf pound against the sand. I was in awe of the thunderous sound the water could make while it folded inside out and arrived at it's destination, the shore. My son snapped me out of my trance, he screamed, "mommy, I need a towel. My eyes are burning." Cade was running out of the water holding his eyes. Obviously, the salt water didn't feel good on his little corneas. But I am not sure how much pushing his eyes balls into the back of his head was helping.
When he distracted me from my moment of exhilaration and my realization of how powerful a wave is, I smiled from ear to ear, scooped him up, dried his eyes, put him on my lap, and together we sat on my beach chair and listened together to the sound of the surf. After I told him what I was listening to, and told him how incredible the sound we were listening to he was also in awe. He is seven.
What is really incredible to me is that Cade and I were able to block out all the other sounds on the beach; all the people laughing, and having an incredible time with their families and friends. The sound of the wave crashing brought Cade and I even closer on the beach that day. It was as if we shared a secret that hundreds of other people didn't know.
Cade looked into my eyes and said, "you're the best mommy!" I said, "I love you honey!" A sound brought us together for a special moment. After the moment was over, I built sandcastles with my son and rejoiced in all the laughter, and banter I was hearing.
I love hearing my children tell me how much they love me. And I love to see the look on my children's face when they hear the words, "Mommy loves you more than anything in the entire world." I love it when I give praise to someone and they light up like a Christmas tree. There is nothing better than interacting with someone that is obviously having bad day, and then telling them a truthful statement about them. Maybe it is a thank you so much for your kindness, or you are wearing a lovely scarf, or your children are so well behaved, or maybe it is, you have a beautiful smile, or your perfume is lovely, or your dog is so cute, it could be your hair looks fabulous today, whatever positive message you send to a person, the moment that person hears your words a smile appears on their face.
I have a rule; I must say something positive and complimentary to three people daily. I want to make someone's day even better, or maybe they were having a horrible day, and when they heard my words it brought some warmth to their heart. The only rule to my rule is, I have to mean whatever I am saying!
Think about how your words can sting someone also. I have lost my temper with my children and others, many times. The minute I say something that slips out of my mouth as fast as if I have just run full speed at slippy slide and dove hands first, the words are out of my mouth and I want to take them back. The problem with words is, you can't take them back once they are heard. You can apologize, but the words are already churning in a person's brain, like butter churning.
I am hear to tell you, choose your words wisely, because the recipient of your words, will take them to heart. Yes, I heard so many negative words, phrases, and attacks on my character from the one I looked up to most that it took me thirty five years to stop believing all the incredibly horrible, hurtful, and venomous phrases that were cast at me during my early years, adolescent years, and young adult years. Any good words that I heard were immediately, put into my spam file, only to be retrieved years later. Part of my ability to click on the spam button and retrieve all the good things I heard about me, came from all the other beautiful sounds I was hearing, seeing, and smelling. Are you getting the picture about senses and what life is about?
I now hear compliments and adorations from my children daily. It is a good feeling! Every day I wake up I Iisten to the birds sing, the calmness of the morning air, my coffee brewing, the sound the water makes while brushing my teeth, I listen to my children's voices, to music! Ahhh, music. How great is music! Music brings me to old places, recent places, and creates new memories. I love listening to music. What do you hear? Are you stopping to hear the incredible sounds around you? To smell the roses? And to see beauty around you? These three senses make my life so incredible, and makes me realize what life is about!
Finally, I this is what I tell my children. "The sting of a bee lasts a moment or two, but the sting of a word lasts a lifetime."