“I don’t understand, Brynne. How do you know that about me?”
She wasn’t upset or disturbed, but intrigued. And smiling.
“Wait. My accent?”
“Partly.”
“Partly? What else?”
I looked into her eyes, her transparent eyes. I listened to her heart, maybe even her soul, her very essence aching to be seen, or so it felt.
“Your heart. It is open,” I said.
Her face broke out into an enormous smile, the kind that comes from your belly and rises up like an unstoppable wave. “What a beautiful compliment. Yes, it is. You’re right.”
I smiled and waved as I walked away. No more words could make the situation any more magical for either of us. I could see. She was seen. We had connected.
* * *
Most of us see with our eyes, listen with our ears and taste with our tongues. When someone is talking it is considered customary to listen to their words and to respond to what they say with our own. It’s the polite thing to do. In fact, anything different is usually thought of as either rude or weird. But what if we bucked the system? What if we dared to listen with our hearts instead of just our ears? What if dared to respond with our souls? What if we tasted the emotion of a moment instead of just the same old same old flavor of our daily meals? How then might our world be?
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My Wednesday Wish for You?
This week I wish that each of you might challenge yourself to listen with your heart to the voices of the hearts that surround you. Word, shmurds—listen for what the speaker’s heart is really saying. Do they need to be seen for who they really are? Do they want to feel less alone? Might they benefit from a little silly in their day or a touch to their skin? Open your own heart and it will hear. Let your soul, the deepest part of yourSelf, show you the way. You might even intuit things you didn’t expect, things you couldn’t possibly know with your mind alone. Offer what you see but know that sometimes, your observations might not be appreciated. Sometimes, you might be thought of as rude or weird. But know this: An accusatory “How did you know that?” comes from a closed heart. And there is nothing that liberates a closed heart more than another open one who ‘sees’. So go for it! See with your heart, care with your soul, and let what you see open up an entire new world…not just for you, but for everyone around you.
18 comments:
Loving it; living it. xo
Of course you are, my beautiful friend, of course you are.
Brynne, my nana would say the only way to listen is with your soul. I know she would have liked you! :)
I know I would have loved her, Bella.:) Just as I do you.
Wonderful, wonderful. Loved this. By reading your blog, I'm beginning to feel not so alone in how I see the world. Thank you for this!
Oh, Michael Ann...you know what that means, don't you? That I am then less alone in how I too, see the world. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful gift with me, dear soul. I am soO glad you are here with me:)
Dearest Brynne - lately there are moments in each day where I find myself seeing, hearing, tasting, feeling with my soul. Some of those moments occur right here - on these pages - and I am grateful that you exist in this world. You are a blue fairy - did you know that - you take the wooden, and breathe life in to it...
Jo, Jo, Jo...your words could not come on a better day. Thank you for joining me with your own soul, my dear friend. A blue fairy? Do you know a blue fairy visits me often in that place between wake and sleep? She is one of my dearest guides. You are very connected to your soul, beautiful Jo. I think you may have even had a glimpse of mine....
Lovely. A timely reminder to listen to others, and stop blabbing about ourselves :-)
Thanks for the smile, Deniz. Are you knitting and listening a lot these days? Do you wish others would stop blabbing your ear off? Your heart is so very kind. I can feel it from here, sweet soul. Thank you, always, for your comments, dear Deniz. I am sOO glad you are here. You give me smiles every time I feel you near:)
So true, dear Brynne, so very true.
A word about bucking the system…I’m not one to play the game. To waste a single precious moment on anything unproductive. Not a “business as usual” soul. Every minute has to count.
As president of a small organization, I (and over half of the other board members) talked about foregoing business meetings in person and meeting online instead.
But when I brought this up to the secretary in an email, she responded with more angst than I’d seen in a long, long time. I never replied to her anger. Instead, I worked on letting my wounds (over her rudeness) go. I worked and worked. Forgave and forgave...
Finally I began to hear with my heart how she might have felt. All that paper work and no one to appreciate it. 21st century or not, she’d poured herself into that labor of love, and no one even wanted to sit through the minutes and hear her read.
And then it was time for the next meeting. It was last night. Just the two of us sitting at a long otherwise empty table. The other board members didn’t bother showing up. I sat and politely listened to her read what we’d discussed at the LAST meeting. Stuff I already knew because I’d been there ;-)
But in the end, it felt better knowing that I’d understood how she felt, than it did to stick to my guns and be right. It felt good to know I’d really heard her need to be appreciated.
This reminds me of my woman in red boots. I was smitten with her style. It was far out there, but inside I sense she was unfolding but you had to know her. I sometimes feel this way with my words. I know I unpeel and talk without filters and walls (via my writing) but within there is a wicked sense of humor and other sides, not always seen. Through my own experience via the blogging medium, I remember to be open as a reader as I am a writer. Amazing how quickly this sensation transcends other parts of you life. I wonder where I would be without the Wednesday wish.
I LOVE hearing stories like the above, Debra...when people with power use that power to truly see and hear and honor the needs of other human beings. You may not know the full effect of your ability to forgive and to honor another's needs over your own, but I will tell you this....it hasnt stopped with her. You have affected me, too. These are the kinds of things we remember, the kinds of things that stick with us and outlast our temporary needs to be right. It the kind of story you use to adjust your sails, to remind yourself and others of the few things that are truly important. I am honored to call you my friend, Debra. I wish you were the president of every president, to guide those in the ways that matter the most. Beautiful.
So often when you write, Brenda, I feel like I am sucked into the vortex of your soul or some beautiful place that you may think you inhabit alone. And most of the time you do, but somedays and sometimes we are lucky. You light a small candle with a careful flicker and let us peek at a few of the breathtaking paintings on the wall, the memories and the dreams that give you breath, the beauty that dwells within your core. And we hold our chests and our eyes sparkle and we thank whatever god we believe in that you let us share in your treasures.
Tis hard to reply to this comment without a tear and tingle, seriously. I don't think much when I am writing, rather I let the feelings have a say without have to go through a mediator. Feelings and passions have a bad rap, their really not all that bad if you let them see the light of day now and again. Hard for me to say this, but I am truly speechless at your comment. Words are sometimes not enough, from my heart to yours...
You feel the depth as I do, my friend. Its ok. No words necessary, beautiful Brenda. Just keep letting those feelings and passions fly, for there are those of us out there in the big 'ole world who feel it all right along side you:)
Aww, thank you Brynne! I love seeing your replies appear in my email :-)
I didnt know they came to your email! Hooray! Happy day, beautiful Deniz! I hope its a day that fillllllllls your heart:)
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