5-Senses Sunday
the 5-things rocking my 5-senses this week
Note: It’s hard to just post as usual, when absolutely nothing around me feels safe or normal. While I’ve been trying not to dwell on world-events, it’s also impossible to ignore the devolving nature of all that surrounds us; from wars and violence, impending wars, heat waves and so much more.
I’m struck how my life mirrored in many ways what much of the world experienced this week: Moments of joy and hope intermingled with sorrow, fear and rage.
In just the last 2 days:
Found out a dear friend’s cancer has returned after two years and has now spread to her liver. But also learned that she has recently found love again and her new partner is in for the long haul with her.
My best friend’s son got in a horrible accident yesterday and injured his head, resulting in a few hours of panic followed by great relief that it was a concussion and not a brain bleed.
Other best friend’s 91-year old Dad passed out on the sidewalk, hit his skull on the concrete yet miraculously left the hospital 6 hours later with no major concerns.
My niece gave birth to a healthy baby boy yesterday making me a great aunt, my brother a grandfather and my mom a great-grandma!
Moments of relief, moments of exasperation. Moments of enchantment, moments of despair. Moments of buoyancy, moments of emotional suffocation - the world a microcosm for all our own little worlds.
Sure, I’ll go ahead and share what tantalized my senses this week and all that, as I do, but this week comes with an extra level of awareness of the fragility and preciousness of life and an cushiony layer of gratitude to be here to experience it all.
Taste:
You might be familiar with the current confection obsession that is Dubai Chocolate. With its creamy pistachio filling and crispy kadayif (shredded phyllo pastry) morsels interspersed, it’s both a flavor burst and a textural experience. My Gen Z daughters are absolutely smitten with it.
But, have you ever tried Thai Chocolate?
Boasting infused flavors like lime, Thai tea and even caramelized fish sauce nuggets, the chocolate industry is taking things to the next level in terms of novel flavors and ingredients, and I am here for it!
Scent:
Was riveted reading this article about how our nasal passageways and respiratory systems are as unique and individual as our fingerprints.
Sound:
For those who don’t know, I worked as a talent scout at MCA/Universal records in NYC in the late 1990’s. I worked with bands like Sister Hazel, Erykah Badu, Chumbawumba, and even discovered a band, Blue Flannel, in a seedy music lounge downtown.
One of the perks of working at a record company was access to a TON of free CDs (we used to do swaps with other talent scouts at competing music companies) and endless free concert tickets. By the time I left the company I had proudly amassed probably over 1000 CDs. I then spent 10 years trying off-load all of them once streaming and mp3’s became omnipresent.
I laboriously stripped and converted every CD into an mp3 on my computer and then was able to earn hundred’s of dollars selling off my entire collection, which included rare box sets, greatest hits, hidden gem artists that never took off commercially and everything in between.
While I’m mostly a Spotify girlie nowadays, from time to time, I like to go into itunes and re-listen to songs that really affected me at one-time.
This is one of those songs. This is probably a band and a song you’ve never heard of before, and honestly that’s what makes it special. Maybe you’ll fall in love with it the way I did when I first heard it for the first time.
What do you think?
Touch:
One of my love languages is physical touch and affection. As my three girls have gotten older, their tolerance for hugs, snuggles, and back rubs has sadly diminished.
One thing they still let me do, though, is play with their hair. They let me gently stroke their heads when they're sad, allow me to braid or put their hair in high ponytails, and I also still assist in their detangling process.
These quiet moments have become precious to me as there's something deeply intimate about running my fingers through their hair while we chat about their day. It's one of the few remaining ways I can offer comfort through touch, and I treasure every second of it.
Sight:
Just when I thought I’ve seen it all in nature, I get hit with this exquisite video of a tornado rainbow! I said…. a TORNADO RAINBOW.
Watch it in all it’s glory here.
Thanks for reading 5-senses Sunday this week. What sensory experiences did you treasure this week?
🌸