Windows

Speech is a window into someone's mind. For Michael that window is wide open. His mind forms a thought, his mouth speaks it, and I comprehend it. The process is effortless and easy. In fact, that boy's mouth has no filter. Every thought just comes out of his mouth in a continuous stream. I will admit that occasionally I wish for a pause button.

And then there is my daughter. It is painfully obvious that she has just as much to say. She'll come running in from the other room just bursting with something she wants to share. She'll tell me a one or two or even three sentence story and then pause excitedly for my reaction. In a typical conversation I would effortlessly understand her and immediately respond. Instead, I pause while my mind tries frantically to figure out what she said. Often I fail. So far, she doesn't seem too upset. She'll often just run off back to whatever she was doing. But I missed it. I missed that window into her mind and that opportunity to know her better and share her thoughts. And I'll never get that particular opportunity back. I just have to wait for the next one and try again.