The house is quiet; silence reigns.
I listen. I hear...
...in the distance, birds serenading and a lawn mower whirring
its seasonal buzz.
I listen more closely.
I hear...
...a light bulb and my computer humming in unison.
...the refrigerator joining in the harmony.
...the fan on the furnace making it a quartet.
...and the tinnitus in my right ear? Well, the usual droning
makes it a quintet.
Quiet? Silence? As close as it gets.
Again, I listen. A
wave of nostalgia overwhelms me as I hear...
...the sound of two teenage brothers arguing over who knows
what.
...groanings from sucker punches.
...laughing and sounds of slapping on backs.
...the “Hullo” of smiling son #2 as he blasts through the
back door.
...the heartwarming sound of sweet giggles from a young girl
playing games.
Where are these sounds coming from? This is an empty nest.
Those teenage boys are now 43 and 39. That young girl is now
36.
Those sounds come from reminiscent echoes within the walls,
the cherished sounds from days long passed.
My heart fills with the overwhelming joy of precious memories.
I listen again. This
time, I hear...
...sadness, the sobs and weepings of heartaches from hard
times gone by, of broken friendships, of mournful news, of jobs lost, of lack
of necessities.
Afraid to but I
listen once more. I hear...
...my heart say...You
didn’t do it right! You failed so many times!
But the precious sounds of children echoing from the kitchen
to the family room, down the hall to the bedrooms, and down the stairs to the
basement, and I know I did some things right.
With bittersweet memories echoing in the halls of my heart, I
choose to listen to the laughter and the giggles, the good sounds of the past.
Maybe, just maybe, I did some things right.
And now, new memory sounds of future wall-echoes come as two
little and one not-so-little grandgirls run memories up and down the hallway.
What memories will I hear years from now? What happenings
will bring laughter? What happenings will bring tears?
Will those left behind hear the memories?
Did you ever hear a memory?
*I'm hooking up with the monthly ChristianWriters.com blog chain on the topic of memory. Check out the other participants in the right sidebar.
Also hooking up with...
Very lovely post! I enjoyed reading this and it made me hear a few memories....some sad...some happy...I miss the noise of kids in the house. Funny, how I used to groan each time I heard, "MOM!!!!" Now, I long for it. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful! It makes me treasure the moments I am having today. Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, Michelle
Holly, I am so honored to have you visit. I so agree with you. And Mom has now been replaced with "Granny!" Yay! Love that! Thank you so much for leaving a comment. You've made my heart very happy. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Michelle, for stopping by. I deeply appreciate your comment. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteOh, Lynn, this was so beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes. Today I'm called Gigi to two beautiful little granddaughters, but my walls echo with memories of raising their mamas and their uncles. We didn't do everything perfectly, friend, but we did do many things right.
ReplyDeleteAh memories. I like to look back but concentrate on the present.
ReplyDeleteI loved this because everyone says I'm plagued with a good memory and there are some things that I wish I could forget. This was a beautiful story and I'm glad you are sharing some of your happy memories with us. We have enough sadness in the world...it's nice to read about a little gladness sometimes.
ReplyDeleteLike you, Lynn, my life has a symphony of notes, memories, a mixture of happy, sad, joyful and sorrowful. Together they define who I am, and who I will yet become.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts and memories, Lynn. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteVery sweet, Lynn. We had 8 young people here all night at a computer LAN party. There were years when it would have been 18 young folks and 3 days and nights running. Last night was a reminder of the sounds of joyful young folks who are still young at heart and still make me feel young at heart to be around them.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea that we need to replace our internal voice that tries to condemn us or remind us of failure with evidence to the contrary. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteOh, Donna, sounds like we are kindred spirits! Thanks so much, sweetie, for visiting and commenting. I so appreciate it. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteTerra, I like to concentrate on the present also but there are some very precious memories of the past that I'll never let go. Thanks for being such a great follower. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteSweet Gigi, you deserve to have plenty of good memories. Thank you for kind words, sweetie. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Ceci. Those memories do make us who we are. And I love your memories 'cause I love who you are! Bless you!
ReplyDeleteBill, thanks so much for your kind comment. Appreciate it. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteOh, Carol, that sounds like great fun. We used to do youth groups. Such fun. Thanks so much for stopping by. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteHey, Heather! Thanks so much for taking time to visit. I appreciate your comment. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteVery cool Lynn, this is sort of different for you, right? I can hear the memories through your post... :-)
ReplyDeleteHey, Chris! I've done a few similar posts like this but, yes, it is somewhat out of the ordinary. Thanks so much. Glad you liked it. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, Lynn! It spoke to my heart, and the memories, oh, the memories! I can see them and hear them both! How I wish I could take a snapshot of what I see in my mind, and so many of those photos are no where else! I am certain you did more than just a few things right! God Bless!
ReplyDeletewe get so used to hearing everyday sounds total silence seems scary
ReplyDeleteGod puts right our failures
biiiiiiiiiig hug
I do hear memories, often from grandparents, the silly things they said, and how they made me feel loved, and the way they loved me in a special way. I still hear their voices in my heart.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sherry, thank you! I'm so glad you liked it. I so appreciate your comment and your encouragement. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteLOL Jacky, you're so right. We don't want to be alone with that silence. Sometimes, we might really hear something! Thanks so much for stopping by! Bless you!
ReplyDeleteHey, sweet Jennifer! Makes me so happy to see you here. I so agree with you. The memories of my grandparents, especially my Granny, are most precious! Thank you so much for commenting. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteThis was beautiful Lynn. Sometimes I find myself sauntering down memory lane as I think of days gone past with my kids at home - and much like you, there were funny times that still bring a smile, angry hurtful times that I wish I could do over, and just plain nostalgic times that make you take a deep breath and wonder where the time has gone.
ReplyDeleteI truly enjoyed reading this particular blog post Lynn. I love writing that stirs up your thought process and find and those good, happy memories from my childhood. Love you my friend :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post, Lynn. I am reminded of so many things when I hear certain sounds, tunes, voices...just the other day I heard a young mother say to her child in the grocery store," If you are really good you can push your brother in the cart." and I so remember bribing my own children in such the same way.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed this post
Awesome. Heart rending. It is perfect for a book and reminding me of the memory session Christopher Lake experienced in the hallway of his home 2 years after his wife's death.... :o) Thanks for sharing, Lynn. Loved it.
ReplyDeleteYes, memories are more than just a visual they also have a sound; but is a scent that can trigger our memories most poignantly.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Tracy, amen! Wonder where time has gone! All those memories were just a breath ago, weren't they? Thanks so much for your kind comment. I deeply appreciate it. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteHey, JoAnne! Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm so glad to see you. I wish you many more happy memories. Bless you, my sweet friend!
ReplyDeleteKathy, there are so many little things like that that bring back memories, aren't there? I'm so happy to have you visit. Thank you. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteNona, you have so blessed me with your generous words. Thank you so much. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteChristine, you bet! Smell is our best memory trigger. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteMy uncle is a tour guide at Locust Grove - and he says, "The House will Remember You" - and your post tantalizes me with the idea that it does:) Maybe kind of the way my cat's hair sticks to the chair by the front door (the allergist says they have sticky dander - lol). I smell memories - every time I smell coffee, it takes me back to the department store coffee shop downtown before I was 5 where every blue moon my mom would stop with me for a club sandwich - so when I smell coffee today I get hungry for a club sandwich.
ReplyDeleteBTW - with your heart - I bet you did a lot of things right!
OOH if these walls could speak! I enjoyed your post very much. We forget all the good things we have when facing difficult situations. All the wonderful victories in spite of the struggle. Peace and Blessings
ReplyDeleteVery touching post, Lynn. I'm with you. I often wonder if I did much that was right. I greatly regret how stressed I was when my groom and I were young and when our sweet children were small. Yet, there are happy times I do recall. And our now-grown children remind me of happy memories which I forgot. I think time does soften some memories. Yet, I believe as we mellow and become more Christ-like, we look back and gasp at ourselves back then. Yet, under and over and through it all, God's mercy and grace permeates. As my heart groans and mourns over the imperfect person I was, and the hasty unkind tongue I had, the Lord infuses His everlasting grace and hope. We can trust Him even with our imperfect pasts.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful post, Lynn. I "hear" memories in songs; they trigger the recall of whatever was happening when I heard them in their original context. Like Madonna's "Crazy For You" - I can't hear that song without remembering a slow dance at a club with my first love. We were staring into each other's eyes, both of us lip synching the chorus. One of those romantic moments that's etched into my memory. One of the reasons I keep holding out hope for a new love one of these days...
ReplyDeleteHoly moly! I got so behind. Maryleigh, forgive me. I love what your uncle said. So cool he works at Locust Grove. Mom and Dad rebuilt the duplicate stone home and lived there. Fibro has sucked out the details. And now you've made me hungry for a club sandwich! LOL Thanks, sweetie!
ReplyDeleteTerrie, I read somewhere that they've been able to extricate sounds from walls. Very interesting, huh? Sorry I'm late responding. Thanks so much for your comment!
ReplyDeleteSandi, the Lord has a sweet way of wiping many memories from our children because of our changed heart. Thanks so much for stopping by. I'm sorry I'm late responding. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteOh, sweet Traci! I know that love is there for you. You shall dance again with love! Praying for it! Blessings to you!
ReplyDeleteThis post is so thought-provoking that my comment is simply this, I'm going to go back and reread this post, pray and sleep on it. Your posts so often do that for me. Thank you for being the gift that God made you to be. Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh...my...gosh! Stephanie, I am overwhelmed! Thank you so much for such a special comment. I am so touched. You've blessed me. Bless you!
ReplyDeleteOh, Lynn. I hear them all the time. How this moved my heart.
ReplyDeleteI came back here because I realized I had posted on the wrong date for August. I'm glad I did. Another moving post.
Glad you came back! Thanks so much, Deborah! So glad it touched your heart. Blessings to you!
ReplyDelete