Focus

I love the sound of a voice talking to its beloved, the sweetness, the gentle inflection. I can hear the smile behind it, the affection that accompanies it.

“Hi, Sweetie.” There are a million ways to say those two words, but there is something in the timbre of a voice that lets me know when it is real and not simply some expected ritual.

My dog understands this. When he hears real dogs barking on television he is literally all ears. It is the same way when I am watching a video. He knows when the sounds are real and when they are fake. He runs and hides if it sounds like someone is in pain. Somehow he knows the truth behind what he hears.

I am not always so good at that. Most of the time I expect the best and that is what I hear, but once in a while that trust is violated. After that I am gun shy. Every look, every phrase becomes suspect. I hate that. I don’t like having to weigh every word and look for hidden meanings. I much prefer to take people at face value.

Symbolic gestures and hidden meanings are fine when writing. After all, creativity is simply to entertain. Real life is about living and breathing. It’s good when the air is fresh and clean.

So I listen to the good things again and again and try to ignore the ugly ones. It’s what keeps me focused on the sweetness in life.