I went to the grocery store this morning. I try to go in the morning now that the heat is really intense. It’s easier on me, and easier on Chloe. It’s amazing how hot a parking lot can get by noon! Needless to say, we’ve started running most of our errands in the morning.
Today I was in the produce department awhile. Two of my favorite fruits are in “season”, and therefore VERY CHEAP. I love peaches and nectarines! I saw that cantaloupe was on sale as well, I thought I’d get one as Terry loves it. I guess he’s a “summer melon” kind of man, as he loves most melons! He was after all, raised in the South.
I started “thumping” cantaloupe to feel how “hollow sounding” they may be. You’ll notice that I said “to feel” how ripe their “thump” was. I can’t remember the last time I heard a cantaloupe THUMP. (Well actually the cantaloupe itself doesn’t thump, a person THUMPS it… but I digress as per norm). However, today I realized that I could hear that base-sounding, hollow “thump”! My CI maps tend to bring me new sounds every time I go. I know for a fact I could not near cantaloupe “thump” last year! So the maps done in May at Johns Hopkins brought me a new sound this summer. I could hear the thump of a cantaloupe!
Needless to say, I sat there “thumping” awhile… if only to hear the variations. Chloe sat and waited patiently, although she was looking at me rather quizzically!
I suppose we all take things we hear for granted. “Thumping” away, I couldn’t help but stop and think about all those late-deafened who could not hear the thump of a cantaloupe. It wasn’t long ago that I could not.
I hope the next time you are in grocery store… thumping cantaloupe, you might stop a moment and think about those who no longer can. We all hear differently. Some, (like my daughter) have an acute sense of hearing. Small noises are almost bothersome. Others were perhaps born Deaf. Many others (and the vast majority of those who have hearing loss) are adventitiously deaf. That’s basically a fancy of way saying that something known or unknown happened and they no longer hear normally. They no longer hear the thump of cantaloupe.
I hope many will consider being involved in our nation’s Walk4Hearing. There are many walks all over the U.S. this year. If you click here, you may be able to find one to be involved in near you! You don’t have to have a hearing loss to care about hearing. Many who walk have perfectly normal hearing, but know someone or love someone who does have a hearing loss. If you cannot walk yourself, perhaps you would consider giving towards the goal of a Walk near you?
My family and I plan to have a team for the Capital area Walk this fall. We walk because we care about hearing loss. We walk because many do not hear the thump of cantaloupe. The money raised goes to help support local chapters of HLAA and the national organization as well!
Happy hearing,
Denise Portis
©2008 Hearing Loss Diary
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