The Aspiration to Speak Love

After the Advancing SPTG Recital Selfie

The Girls Performed Mozart and Bach

Minnesota Winter Survival

My Parent Party Treats

Mary's First High School Jazz Concert

A House for A Cheetah

A Throw Back, Complete with Keyboard, Vocal Mic and Tambourine, Taken at a Club in Steamboat Springs

Posing for Publicity

Summer Practice Partners

Last weekend was my parent party. We had a good turnout. We get our drinks and visit and then get our desserts and find our way to the living room. This year we watched a piece of Calvin's Italy audition. (The Italy festival, unfortunately has been cancelled due to the virus in China.) Still Calvin got a lovely video. Here is a link to his own YouTube channel and video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuuxGkdw8Jk. Then we watched a snippet of his Book One recital complete with side long glances at me after purposeful mistakes. That little four year old face. It's a long and winding road, folks. After the videos the parents went around the circle and shared highs and lows. This year the highs and lows took two and a half hours. There was a lot of pride and also a few tender tears. There was honesty.

We all need to vent. We vent to our inner circle. Some vent to Facebook. I vent to my mother and my husband. We need a safe place to let it all hang out. Yet, there is a dance to it all. When someone vents to me, it could be my child or a friend or a studio parent, it comes with the responsibility of discernment on my part. Is this something I need to help fix? Or is this just a necessary release of feelings.

When we are hurting we need someone to listen and be with us. Darling, I love you and I'm here for you. Our presence can be a gift to the other person. A hopeful blessing. Now and then there might be some actual words or actions needed to be of service.

There is another facet to this which I confess I have been guilty of once or twice in the past. That is, when perhaps we share too much and perhaps with the wrong audience and it crosses the line and becomes gossip.  I see this on social media when piano teachers vent about their students to other teachers. Another form of this which unfortunately is in my Souhrada DNA is the propensity to ruminate on the unjust or just plane irritating thing another has done to us. We can go through it over and over in our mind for days, months, and even years.

Reflecting on this, I made "Speak Love" one of my ten aspirations. It's number four if you are following. Speak love means many things. Firstly it means to only speak lovingly about other people. It has the more important side note of actually seeing the best in other people. Actively looking for the God given light in each and every person we come across. That can and will take me a lifetime to achieve.

It doesn't mean I never get to share my hurt feelings or frustrations. It just means being mindful about it and knowing when enough is enough. Learning not to ruminate. We talk about popping that bubble. Being the boss of your thoughts.

Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. Proverbs 26:20. 

And this is a quote in my notebook, unfortunately without reference. It's not mine.

Words. You may notice that when we speak quickly, without thinking, or rush to get our ideas across, our worlds don't carry the same power as when we speak slowly and confidently, allowing those receiving our words time and space to take them in. When we carefully listen to others before we speak our words have more integrity, and when we take time to center ourselves before speaking, we truly begin to harness the power of speech. Then our words can be intelligent messages of healing and light, transmitting deep and positive feelings to these who receive them. 

Good grief and good luck. Still, it's a worthy aspiration. When I'm in a hurry it takes everything I've got to listen to the long version of the story (remember I have two verbal children) before snapping in. I guess aspiration number two, to listen, and this one, to speak love, are soulmates.

Everyday is a new chance to practice.

Lord,
Guide the words of my mouth. Help them to speak love at all times. That seems impossible, yet it's worth a try. Help me speak only the best about others, to always speak their name with love. Foster that circle of seeing the best and speaking the best. Help me to not ruminate. And help me discern when my loved ones need a listening ear or when they need active help. 
Amen