A friend of mine who shares my delight in making green smoothies with a Vitamix (high
powered blender), came bearing a wonderful gift surprisingly full of fun for the whole family: a pair of noise cancelling headphones. The Vitamix is horribly loud, killing that peaceful vibe of healthy eating. She discovered that putting these on greatly improved her experience, so she generously shared a set with me. (Thank you Kim!!!)
Lucas and Maya had other ideas. First of all, they thought it would be better for them to wear the headphones while I am blending, because after all they are affected too. After a bit of deliberation though, we considered that given the fact we only have one set, it would really be nicest to give them to Sean’s grandmother, Lois, who is staying with us…
Then I joked that I get to wear them when Lucas and Maya are arguing… we had a giggle fest doing demos of this; one of us wearing the headphones, while the others ‘argued’ saying things like “I said don’t stand on your head!” and other silliness….
Then in the midst of our giggling, Lucas puts them on and runs through the hallway. As I am calling him, he demonstrates what to him is another perfect use for these headphones, screaming back gleefully, “I can’t hear you!!!!”
I love the irony of this. Oh yeah, you don’t want to hear me, I don’t want to hear you sometimes either! At times, we simply do need time and space because life can get too close for comfort. We all need a way to lovingly gather ourself back up and tune out whatever is distracting or draining us. And yet, I love the symbolism these headphones offer; not a tuning out into music and such with an ipod or other distractions, but rather a coming back home to the silence within. And the positive focus in that versus focusing on getting away. We don’t always need to ‘get away’ to find peace.
Though I may joke that the headphones would be perfect to use while in the car to stifle the inevitable bickering in the backseat (and may even try it!) I am reminded that the real power is where I am putting my attention. If my attention is outside of my heart, and worse, attaching to thoughts like, “they are always fighting (not true)” “not again!! (reacting)” then the problem feels agitating. But if I center myself by bringing my attention back to my own heart and ride the wave of life, there is peace, there is peace, there is peace.
I can put on the actual headset, or a virtual one, but it is the reconnecting within that is the difference.
A little while later, Maya is wearing the headset, waving her hands in songstress gestures, singing her creative songs. I don’t think she has ever seen someone recording music, but here she is an intuitive recording artist, delighting in hearing her voice and only her voice.
May it be for all of us.