Tuesday 19 January 2010

the sound of her voice

It is a cold Sunday evening
and we are sitting in the Cathedral.

MissM is opposite us, waiting to read the lesson.
When the time comes she walks calmly to the lectern
and places her hand upon the page.

Her voice is clear and silvery
and I realise with a shock that I did not know this.
I hear her speak all the time:
at the end of a phone,
from the top of the stairs,
beside me on the sofa,
behind me in the car.
And yet I have never fully appreciated
what a beautiful voice she has.

I close my eyes
and try to fix the sound
in my memory
as MissM reads aloud:

"...for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom;
to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit..."

14 comments:

  1. ...its a strange thing when we see or hear a new and different aspect of our loved ones isnt it? How lovely to worship in a catherdral.....

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  2. Chills. It is wonderful when we see our children as from afar. And a little bit humbling too.

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  3. I think it's normal to discover new aspects of our loved ones every now and then. It means we're still attracted, interested and in love with them.
    Paola

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  4. It's all to do with location and context isn't it - such a joy to recognise a new dimension in one we think we know like the back of our hand

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  5. What a beautiful moment to treasure.

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  6. That memory will stay with you forever........ and so it should.

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  7. I love that they never cease to amaze us, our children. Even when they are growing and spreading their wings.

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  8. how beautiful.

    (you have a beautiful voice too Alice. After meeting you I came home and told Mr M I wanted to take elocution lessons... He laughed. Maybe there's no hope for me?)

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  9. I have quickly visioned details of the cathedral, the hushed people, the light, the temperature and the scent.
    And so, I would expect MissM's voice to be clear and silvery, her posture, arrow straight, her words sure and her mannerisms graceful. She is your daughter. Thank you for another lovely start to my day.

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  10. Oh how lovely. I can just picture (and hear) Miss M at the lectern. And I agree with Monica: you both speak so beautifully.

    K x

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  11. Hi thanks for this post. My 14 year old daughter read the lesson on Sunday too. You've made me realize how I felt listening to her. With Love
    Penny L

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  12. How lovely. I had a tear when I read that.
    After what Monica said I don't think I could ever meet you. I have an irritating squeaky voice with a Lancashire accent. (And yet I read at church and sometimes they choose me for the important events...in the country of the blind the one eyed man is king?)

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  13. How long before she will be doing sermons like her two grandfathers ?

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  14. Beautiful. x

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