ConsciousCreation

Today is Tuesday and that is routinely my evening to FaceTime with my grandson! We catch up on what’s going on in Ponte Vedra Beach and a bit about what’s happening in Burnsville ~ sometimes we watch videos together or he shares his plushies and actions figures. Whatever happens, it’s always the highlight of my day!

Tonight, when I called, my son answered and explained that the kiddo was still doing homework but would definitely call me back when he was done because he had a big surprise for me. And then he said he would not spoil it for me and grinned a big grin. Needless to say, my curiosity was running wild! But no, I’d have to wait. and wait I did!

Finally, the ipad rang and there he was – my 9-year grandson grinning just like his dad with a beautiful head of turquoise hair – shiny, deep turquoise. Talk about making your heart sing! Who did that, I asked. “We went to a professional salon and they had to bleach it twice before they could put the color on.” That’s what he said! What a strong sense of self that young man has! Me with my pink hair – which I’ll get refresh in October – and Aedan with his bold turquoise! I love it!

This is the kid that does rock wall climbing, parkour, jiu-jitsu, drama kids and makes 92 on his math test!!!

As I watch him grow and thrive, I catch myself on nights like tonight reflecting back on my growing up. As I let him know how much I love his color choice and how proud I am of him for all that he does and is, I realize just how powerful the “right” words spoken at the right can be and how much they mean to a young person – actually a person of any age. Just as the absence of those “right” words in that same moment can be so devastating. The energy of love and support put into words can go a long way to building that positive sense of self. The opposite is also true.
Reflecting on that tonight, I recognize how often I get careless and sloppy with my words. I don’t believe I consciously set out to hurt or antagonize with that carelessness, at least most of the time. It’s just that I forget to pause and take the breath before I let the words out. And it’s that same forgetting that has me doing a stream of consciousness dump rather than choosing a more precise word or phrase ~ one more nuanced and/or kind.

And so tonight, I once again set the intention to be more thoughtful, more precise, more careful in my conversations with the world. Remember, Toni, to pause and take a deep breath!