Ever since preschool, Jenna has had this unbelievable talent of being able to talk AND to listen at the SAME TIME! Who does that? I could never work in telemarketing as I know I will have co-workers around me that will have louder voices than what I’ll attempt to be hearing over the phone. I’ve always had a problem concentrating on one sound or voice when there is a louder sound penetrating my ears. I also find it hard to concentrate on speaking if my voice is in competition with other sounds.
Last night Jenna asked if she could watch “What Would You Do?” as it is truly one of her favorite programs. The entire time it was on, she was jabbering at me – telling me about different friends, certain plans, responding to whatever might ail her, personality traits . . . on and on. The entire time she was talking to me, she would also respond to the T.V.
“No! That isn’t right! Why do people do that?” and then she would turn back to me, “. . . anyway . . .” and continue her thought. She never once asked, “What was I saying?”
At one point Jenna asked if she could remove the closed caption as it wasn’t running in sync with what was being said. How could she possibly know that?
I’m not certain how the topic had even come up, but I had told her about a murder that happened in the church parking lot when we were living in Kearns. She was only three or four at the time. Of course she wouldn’t remember. She started crying.
It was nice to hear her enthusiasm. She is more important to me than any program could possibly be. I did find it amazing that she was able to enjoy the program though while I barely knew what the story focus was. I did not see – let alone hear most of it. I think only one story was new and the rest I had seen before – but still. I do not have Jenna’s identic memory either.
In preschool, she’d get upset that the teachers would mover her “away from her friends”. I have tried to explain to her that not everybody shares her talent. “When Miss Shelly is talking, you need to allow your friends to hear what Miss Shelly is saying. Morgan cannot listen to you and Miss Shelly at the same time. Kristopher doesn’t know what Miss Shelly is saying if you are talking”
It really is a fascinating talent. I hope she may never lose her ability to listen while she talks. I am floored by this talent. It is truly remarkable.
Maybe she could start out with her first job as working at a fast food restaurant drive up window while taking orders and collecting money at the same time. That always seemed like a challenging job, to be listening to someone telling you what they want while you're telling someone else how much they owe, what change they have and to have a nice day. I, myself wouldn't last very long at that kind of job. I'd be getting brain cramps all the time.
ReplyDelete