Thanksgiving is the ideal opportunity to reflect on all the things we normally take for granted throughout the year.
And that includes our capacity to hear.
While sight, smell, and taste are at the forefront of our mind throughout the holidays, hearing commonly takes a back seat—that is, until we start paying better attention.
To fully enjoy the holiday season calls for being fully present, and that includes being alert to all the sounds that frequently escape our full attention.
Below are five sounds to be mindful of and grateful for this Thanksgiving.
- The sound of food sizzling – You can’t match the smell of roasting turkey filling the house, but have you ever paused to indulge in the sounds of a lively kitchen with food sizzling and popping and timers going off? With a house filled with hungry guests, you’re especially not going to want to miss those timers.
- Conversations around the table – The holiday season is a chance to bring everyone together for engaging conversation. You won’t want to miss out on any big news or interesting stories from friends and family you rarely get to see. And as for those you’d rather not hear from, you’ll just have to select your seat at the dinner table carefully.
- Thanksgiving day football – To the discouragement of many non-football fans, the NFL has somehow incorporated itself into the holiday tradition. But for the sports fans in the family, the sounds of the crowd, the big hits, and the eruption after a touchdown are hard to match in intensity.
- Thanksgiving day parades – The sound of marching bands and applauding crowds in the background is an essential of Thanksgiving day. You’ll want to ensure that you catch all of the music and activities.
- Holiday movies – Has anyone ever not eaten too much at Thanksgiving dinner? Following the heavy tryptophan-filled meal and plenty of socializing, it’s nice to unwind, relax, and watch your favorite movies.
All of these sounds augment the full Thanksgiving experience, and the more mindful we are of them, the more we can savor the day. It’s part of staying fully present and immersing yourself in the moment.
Regrettably, hearing loss can dull or eliminate many of these sounds. Missing out on important conversations, or not being able to hear the conversation in movies, brings about stress and anxiousness that should have no part in the holiday celebrations.
That’s why we’re urging people with hearing loss to give consideration to the use of hearing aids in advance of the holiday season. Hearing aids can heighten all five of the above sounds, bringing them into sharpened focus, possibly for the first time in years.
It’s time to take back your holiday season—arrange your hearing test today!