Make the most of every sense; glory in all of the pleasures and beauty which the world reveals to you. . . .
— Helen Keller
"Glory in all of the pleasures" of the world. It's a message we don't often hear, or perhaps more accurately, we don't often hear it in a context of wholesomeness and integrity, and without guilt. Helen Keller, the American writer and lecturer, who was both blind and deaf from infancy, offers it to us in that context. "Make the most of every sense." Every day offers us feasts:
Look at shapes and colors. Trees. The sky at any time of day or night. The shape of a building. The color of a child's eyes. The picture on your wall. The reflection in your mirror. Your eyes, like an athlete's muscles, develop with training.
Listen to the world's sounds. A speeding train. Songs of birds. The tap-tap-tap of your computer's keys. Music. Your loved one's words, such as "Hi Mom, I'm home!" or "Hello Dear, how was your day?" or "I missed you so much!" To enhance what you hear, close your eyes for a moment.
Feel the world's textures. The feel of the cloth in your clothing. The handrail as you climb the stairs of a building. The erotic energy of your lover's touch. The skin is the body's largest organ. Spend a moment and notice what you feel on its entire surface at any given moment.
Taste the world's flavors. Chewing a macaroon. The taste of a postage stamp. Swallowing cold orange juice in the morning. Savoring tastes also has the advantage of slowing down your eating.
Smell the aroma of life. Passing by heliotrope or jasmine. Your perfume or aftershave. Someone else's. Walking into a very old house. A fragrance that reminds you of something long ago and far away. Especially when you want to remember something, pay attention to smell.
— David Kundtz in Quiet Mind