A few times throughout life I have come across a voice that stands out of from all the others. James Earl Jones had a wonderfully bold voice. Cary Grant had a fun, exciting voice and James Stewart had a voice that was truly unique. But one voice that stands out from rest for me is that of Earl Hamner, Jr.
Mr. Hamner was the narrator on one of my most favored programs during my youth, The Waltons. He spoke at the beginning of each show setting the tone for that episode. The storyline of the series was based on his own early years growing up in the mountains of Virginia.
His voice stirred up in me the dreamer, the wanderer, the poet, the romantic, the adventurer, the writer. I remember feeling all of the above at a young age. I guess John Boy and I had a lot in common.
I watched a couple of episodes of The Waltons this afternoon. As Earl Hamner’s gentle voice drifted over and through the mountain scenery, I felt exactly the same as I did when I was that young, impressionable girl of long ago. And I felt a calm rush over me.
I’ve been rather stressed as of late. For no reason other than my restlessness of this long, cold winter. But then there’s the heavy burden I place upon myself of must do’s when I really don’t have to.
I need to periodically touch base with whatever takes me back to what is familiar and makes me happy. There are a few keys that open doors to places where I am reminded of who I am and what makes me, me.
One key for me is music as I wrote about recently. Even the theme song for The Waltons and of other old programs I watched long ago do that for me. Weird, huh?
Other keys are to walk through the nature park where I once loved to run and spending time in places off the beaten path that mean something to me. Before I moved away, I’d frequently visit my special thinking spot where I’d watch the ever-changing sunsets.
The fragrance of a peony bush rushes sweet memories over me. The beauty of the Appalachia, the Grand Tetons, and the rocky coast of Maine fill me, and are most inspiring. But today, without even leaving home, the key was simply hearing a voice that stirred me once-upon-a-time. And still does, as I discovered.
Life is so unbelievably busy and we can lose ourselves easily if we put everything else first.
What grounds you? Visit that place more often…even if it’s only listening to a voice that stirs.
♥️
Andi
Coffee with Andi 