THE SENSE OF OUR SENSES
The five senses are valuable. They take data into our brains and the brain processes that info and we have information to function in our world. Often when we ignore our senses we find ourselves in trouble. Ignore the smell of smoke and you could end up with a problem as small as dinner is burned, or it could be your house is burning down. Either way it is best to respond to the smell of smoke, no one likes a burnt dinner or house.
People who are missing one sense say that other senses are improved. Our bodies compensate for the lost sense. I know mine has. I feel things that I use to hear. Before a hearing friend hears a car in the drive way I often feel it pull in. I can not tune my voice with my ears any longer but recently realized that I can tune my voice to the vibrations of the piano or a strong singer near me.
Our senses provide more then information to keep us safe they provide a way to enjoy the world around us. The smell of bread baking; the beauty of a sunrise; the feeling of silk; children's voices lifted in song; the taste of chocolate; all of these things are wonderful to experience.
Our senses are attached to our feelings. The sense sends the info to the brain and the brain says ahhh I remember.... Some of the time the memory is upsetting but, most of the time the memory brings us comfort or joy. When I smell a certain mix of oil gas and All detergent I think of my Dad and riding on the tractor with him while he mowed the lawn. What is a safer place to be then in your daddies lap while he is taking care of the things that need to be done. He didn't mow the lawn because he wanted to he did it so we would have a safe place to play. He did it because he loved us. It made him happy to do things that took care of us. Being with him while he was doing it just felt safe. To this day I smell that mix and think of my Dad and I just feel safe.
I am sure you can tell from the previous posts that my week was not an easy one. I didn't feel safe or good. I really didn't "feel" much of anything but numb and drained. I needed a certain sense of comfort and safe in order to start to process what was going on with me emotionally. Multiple friends were there in different ways. I provided strength for those who loved and lost and those who love me provided strength for me.
Little things provided the most comfort, things that you might not expect. It was the senses that brought me that comfort; the taste of dinner with a friend; the feeling of a hug; the smell of a sweatshirt; Yes, I did say the smell of a sweatshirt and Yes it was a clean sweatshirt.
The comfort I needed was to feel safe and loved. I borrowed a sweatshirt from a friend. I called and asked to borrow one because I was freezing and my confused friend left one outside his house for me. His sweatshirt smelled like him. That smell evoked memories of happy times and times he provided comfort to me. I was reminded of a phone call just the night before, I wanted to talk but not about any thing that was going on this friend provided the comfort I needed to relax and fall asleep. The smell reminded me that someone cares about me. The smell helped me to feel safe and comforted.
I unexpectedly ran into my cousin that same nite. I had thought he was out of town a very pleasant surprise to see him. He is someone I can hug. I know he loves me no matter what, it is a love that I have never questioned. I know he loves me and will support me no matter what. I am sure my uncle who was also there thought I had lost my mind. I sat there with my head on my cousins shoulder and his arm around me for a good long time. I felt safe. I felt comfortable. I was able to relax and the stress of the week wore off that night. The next morning I woke up feeling like myself.
The sense of our senses is that the silliest of things can make us realize the things we need to. God uses our senses to communicate with us, for me the touch of family and the compassion of a friend reminded me that I don't have to handle anything on my own and that I shouldn't try to. I need to be connected with others but God will handle the problems. The sense of our senses is that the smell of a sweatshirt can bring us God's love.
People who are missing one sense say that other senses are improved. Our bodies compensate for the lost sense. I know mine has. I feel things that I use to hear. Before a hearing friend hears a car in the drive way I often feel it pull in. I can not tune my voice with my ears any longer but recently realized that I can tune my voice to the vibrations of the piano or a strong singer near me.
Our senses provide more then information to keep us safe they provide a way to enjoy the world around us. The smell of bread baking; the beauty of a sunrise; the feeling of silk; children's voices lifted in song; the taste of chocolate; all of these things are wonderful to experience.
Our senses are attached to our feelings. The sense sends the info to the brain and the brain says ahhh I remember.... Some of the time the memory is upsetting but, most of the time the memory brings us comfort or joy. When I smell a certain mix of oil gas and All detergent I think of my Dad and riding on the tractor with him while he mowed the lawn. What is a safer place to be then in your daddies lap while he is taking care of the things that need to be done. He didn't mow the lawn because he wanted to he did it so we would have a safe place to play. He did it because he loved us. It made him happy to do things that took care of us. Being with him while he was doing it just felt safe. To this day I smell that mix and think of my Dad and I just feel safe.
I am sure you can tell from the previous posts that my week was not an easy one. I didn't feel safe or good. I really didn't "feel" much of anything but numb and drained. I needed a certain sense of comfort and safe in order to start to process what was going on with me emotionally. Multiple friends were there in different ways. I provided strength for those who loved and lost and those who love me provided strength for me.
Little things provided the most comfort, things that you might not expect. It was the senses that brought me that comfort; the taste of dinner with a friend; the feeling of a hug; the smell of a sweatshirt; Yes, I did say the smell of a sweatshirt and Yes it was a clean sweatshirt.
The comfort I needed was to feel safe and loved. I borrowed a sweatshirt from a friend. I called and asked to borrow one because I was freezing and my confused friend left one outside his house for me. His sweatshirt smelled like him. That smell evoked memories of happy times and times he provided comfort to me. I was reminded of a phone call just the night before, I wanted to talk but not about any thing that was going on this friend provided the comfort I needed to relax and fall asleep. The smell reminded me that someone cares about me. The smell helped me to feel safe and comforted.
I unexpectedly ran into my cousin that same nite. I had thought he was out of town a very pleasant surprise to see him. He is someone I can hug. I know he loves me no matter what, it is a love that I have never questioned. I know he loves me and will support me no matter what. I am sure my uncle who was also there thought I had lost my mind. I sat there with my head on my cousins shoulder and his arm around me for a good long time. I felt safe. I felt comfortable. I was able to relax and the stress of the week wore off that night. The next morning I woke up feeling like myself.
The sense of our senses is that the silliest of things can make us realize the things we need to. God uses our senses to communicate with us, for me the touch of family and the compassion of a friend reminded me that I don't have to handle anything on my own and that I shouldn't try to. I need to be connected with others but God will handle the problems. The sense of our senses is that the smell of a sweatshirt can bring us God's love.
posted by Chris | 3:39 PM
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