I was inspired partially by this post where a mother woke up without a voice and discovered a whole new way to communicate with her children and the world outside her door. How people respond to you when you must get your point across in some other way than speech. How your surroundings quiet down when you are quiet.
I thought - what a great lesson. I'll try to have a whisper day from time to time when the volume gets too elevated around my house, and we all need to quiet down and maybe... listen... a little more.
This is no easy task since I come from a family where we shout from upstairs, downstairs, out in the garage, the neighbour's backyard, or across the room. It's not an angry thing - my family just tend to holler - lovingly. My quiet English spouse has had 12 years to get used to this quirk, but still cringes when the hollering from one end of the house to the other starts. He's doing his best to help our daughter speak softly, but I'm afraid it's looking like she has the holler-gene. Sorry honey.
My intentions were good, but I never got around to writing that whisper post until today. When I woke up without a voice, not even a squeak.
It happens to be the day that my parents are leaving to return to Canada. As I dropped them at the airport shuttle this morning, after an early morning breakfast with my husband's family who arrived yesterday (November is visiting month around here....), I wanted to say all the things you try and eloquently express when two of the people you love most in the world are there in front of you for only a moment or two more.
How I value them as parents, grandparents, friends.
How much I still long to be closer geographically to them, even after living on opposite sides of the continent for 14 years.
How I appreciate not only the big wonderful things about them, but the tiny sweet things - making a pot of coffee every morning before I come downstairs, Dad sweeping out our messy carport and taking my grungy car to be washed, Mum emptying the dishwasher and polishing my stove to the brilliant shine that it never gets except when she's here.
And then there are their nurturing spirits - listening with their full attention to my daughter's stories that never seem to end, patiently waiting while I try to get a little work done so we can go out and do something fun.
But I squeezed them just a little tighter at the shuttle stop and whispered "I love you" in both their ears, and I think they know.
I have a little tear in my eye. Very lovingly put.
ReplyDeleteIt isn't easy living across country from my folks, either. Every time I see them they become more precious to me. I am so grateful for them, more I think than they'll ever know.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your post!
Kim - what an eloquent post - made me tear up with your wonderful words of tribute to your family --- glad you had a wonderful visit with your parents. Happy Birthday, Sophie.
ReplyDeleteAnne Marie
ps just found Julia's camera yesterday and looking at the photos - there were some of our time in Leamington down by the bay -- remember the big climbing ship - remember how warm it was -- heavy sigh for the dog days of summer!
Beautifully put! You're lovely words make me miss my mom & dad.
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