I can still hear my mother's voice saying it. "Ahw" pronounced A-audible exhale of breath-w. I think it's a noun, adjective and verb all in one. She said it many times as she sat in a kitchen chair next to the the rotary-dial, wall phone of our families' home of 43 years. She could have been on the phone with any of my aunts, or my grandmother, or her bestfriend Margie. It meant she was receiving a piece of news difficult for the human mind to accept as reality.
It was used when receiving good new, bad news, family-related stuff, non-family related stuff, you name it. And the important thing to remember here is that the whole conversation was audible.......voice inflections, whispers, emotions happy or upset, spoken quickly or with slow build ups to the big climax of the story. I can almost guarantee there were lots of details, cause I don't tell anything without going into great detail; I believe that's a genetic quality. My husband would agree as he always puts in an immediate request for the 'Reader's Digest version' when I start a story.
I'm afraid the "Ahw Factor" of conversation is becoming a thing of the past. Oh, I still talk by voice phone with my cousin Ruth Ann and a couple of my aunts, but otherwise communication is done by emails, texts, and Facebook. Facebook has to be the big one for me. It is my main source for receiving and sharing important information with family, friends of past and present, and church family. I love it, too. I've been in touch with people I haven't heard from in years and I truly enjoy reading what everyone is up to, seeing pictures of their families, what their interests are and what books they're reading. You can really get to know a person by checking out their flair.
But, alas, it lacks the "Ahw" in communication. You post something and then you just wait to see who reads it and who has a comment back, or who is willing to join it, or at the very least "likes" it. And you have to hope the people you wanted most to see it don't scroll past it on accident, cause there is just all kinds of info coming in daily afterall. You don't get that original setting of the other person sitting in the kitchen chair next to the wall phone doing nothing except listening to you.
We all want to be heard. Maybe that's what "Ahw" is. The affirmation that you were heard and someone cared and shares your feelings on it. The kindest of words...."Ahw" If you're one of my Facebook friends, I hope you'll occasionally reply to one of my posts with "Ahw". It would make my face smile and my spirits soar.
"Kind words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24
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Events of my everyday life that "come out in the wash."
About Me
- Suzanne
- Richmond, Virginia
- I'm happy to meet you. I'm a 47 year old happily-married mother of four living one day at a time. Because that is pretty much all I can handle. I am most importantly a Christian. This site is dedicated to hopefully inspiring the reader to better know our Lord and Savior and to making you smile. God bless you.
3 comments:
I can hear her. And see her to--sitting there in her duster. And I know exactly what you mean. I, too, love Facebook for putting me in touch with the next generation of our family; for reuniting me with others that we would see only at weddings and all too often funerals; and for keeping me up with the news that I always depended upon Momma and Aunt Betty to provide.
I still like the telephone--for that sound of the human voice. My children, however, would much rather text. We could do away with their voice plans--as long as we kept the text!
Somehow our modern communication has left us more disconnected than ever. Oh we "talk" but not really. It's too easy to hide behind the electronic barrier. Too easy to cover up the tears or the laughter.
I am thankful that we can still talk by phone and wish we could do even more face to face. Love you. "Ahw" Ruth Ann
HEY! Looks like you were able to catch a cup of coffee finally!!! I have to admit I love facebook! It's a way to catch up with people that otherwise, I would still be estranged from. I love the fact that I can see you, Ashley, Aunt Peggy, Uncle Doug, Mikie, everyone I love so much but normally would only be able to see and talk to once a year. I personally feel like I've grown closer to you guys these past few months than I ever have been in the past. I love my family so much and I am so thankful for the opportunity to be able to see you guys and just say "love you" whenever I want to! It may be through the computer but you know what, at least you were able to know that someone out there thinks about and loves you very much!!!
Suzanne,
Ahwwww....I just found your blog and just read this.
No kidding, just today I was telling my husband how I miss real letters and phonecalls and am not crazy about email and Facebook but wouldn't give them up because they are the main way so many people communicate anymore....I think it's sad, really.
If I had your phone number, I'd call you up right now to say "ahw," but since I don't, I'll hope that at least you get notified when you get a blog comment!
God bless you.
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