Saturday 29 September 2012

Perfect Descriptions

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

Autumn is now here and the leaves are falling thick and fast and there's a chill in the air. Yes, its definitely the time to sweep up leaves and cut back the overgrown shrubs. I have been enjoying light work in the garden, while Audrey tackles the heavier tasks.

On the way back from school, Amber, my eldest granddaughter, was trying to explain to me the way a certain person, who talks nonstop at her rather than to her, makes her feel. She told me, "I feel as though I am buried in words." I can think of one or two people I know who bury me in words too. 

Millie, the youngest, was telling me how scared she was of going to sleep because she had experienced a nightmare the previous night and was worried that she might have a repeat performance when she was sleeping with us. I tucked her into bed and promised to leave the landing light on all night. After an uneventful night, I crept into her room in the morning to find her just rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. I asked her if she had dreamed or not and she replied, "It was total darkness." I was a bit perplexed as I'd left the light on as promised and I pointed this out to her. Then I realised that she meant that there were no dreams that she could remember. It was just as though she had turned the dream screen off (like a T.V set) and that the screen was blank or black.
I think these two interpretations of different situations were very descriptive.
I think only a child can come up with this type of imagination while describing........ or am I wrong?


20 comments:

dianefaith said...

Nope . . . you're not wrong. Kids are so creative with their language, with putting their thoughts into words. Lights up your life, I know. I love the "buried in words" comment because it does feel exactly like that when people talk AT you instead WITH you. Unfortunately, one of my close family members was like that. In over 50 years, I don't think she ever listened to a word I said.

Brian Miller said...

smiles....kids are cool...and they def use language a bit different from us as they have less concrete relations...glad she slept well...and i know a few that talk at instead of to as well....

Anonymous said...

Kids are so very very creative! Love these two descriptions.

Sally Wessely said...

I love seeing the world through the fresh eyes of a child.

Rosaria Williams said...

Love how children express themselves!
Your picture is gorgeous!

Along These Lines ... said...

Fall: a favorite time of the year

Irene said...

I personally like it very much when my sleep is filled with total darkness although I do like the occasional happy dream once in a while. I would hate to be buried by words and I do know someone who can do that on occasion, especially when he's had a glass of wine.

Celia said...

"Buried in words," will stick with me forever. Hope she keeps her fresh outlook.

Jackie said...

Precious, Maggie...simply precious.
I love the wisdom of children.
We should be able to package and keep such wisdom for when we are "grown up"...
Hugs and smiles to you, my friend.
Love,
J.

Jeni said...

Considering the fact that the overwhelming majority of dreams I have these days all tend to be of me, back working as a waitress at the old truckstop and moving at the pace I do now (which is considerably slower than how I used to be able to move 24 years ago) but with the same number of people to wait on and each more impatient with my slow speed than the last person was. That, for me is not a dream, but rather a nightmare! And I'm voting with Millie for nothing but darkness all night long!

Anonymous said...

I love listening to the wisdom of our kids. Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings :>)

Sueann said...

Kids are amazing...love to hear them explain life as they see it.
And I add my hat into the ring...I have a family member who routinely talks my head off then says...love you...see you! And never even asked how I was???!!!
Sheesh
Hugs
SUeAnn

Akelamalu said...

Children come up with some very insightful descriptions at times don't they? :)

FeltByRae said...

I love the clarity of kid's description, when they use their own words they usually hit the nail on the head

My favourite one of my son's was referring to carbonated drinks as busy rather than fizzy!

Hilary said...

Very sweet. Kids and fine writers.. those who can think like kidlets.

Alyson | New England Living said...

What wonderful kids! They obviously have your talent with words.

Cheryl said...

Your grandchildren are so creative and excellent at expressing exactly what they feel. I hope you get the started at journaling, even if they express it with drawings. Children do tend to express things in a more open way, but your girls seem exceptional!

Rose said...

Kids can be so creative! I love that expression "buried in words." I was just thinking how a writer might struggle for hours trying to describe such a feeling and never come up with as apt a description.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous descriptions and as an author, I absolutely love the term "buried in words". That is pretty special.

CJ x

Secret Agent Woman said...

Buried in words is a fitting image. I've had that experience!