Saturday Real Talk

Our Five Senses: How We Experience the World Around Us

Dear Friends,

I was trying to think of a topic for today’s Real Talk. As I leaned back on my couch, my mind kept returning to something we use every day without giving it much thought:

Our five senses.

Sight. Sound. Smell. Taste. Touch.

Since I began working from home in the Tower, I have become familiar with my neighborhood in an entirely different way.

I am not always physically out in the neighborhood, but through my senses, I am still very much connected to it.

What I See

I watch for my animal friends and pay attention to the sky, the trees, and the changing weather.

I notice when the morning begins with haze and when the sky starts clearing. I watch the cedar tree for movement. I recognize the regular birds, squirrels, and neighborhood visitors.

I have become so familiar with Poe that I can spot him sitting in a tree two blocks away.

That is not just looking.

That is knowing what I am looking for.

Our eyes take in light, and the brain turns those signals into the images we see. But what we notice within those images is personal. National Eye Institute⁠

What I Hear

I notice the different sounds of the birds and the ways they communicate with one another.

Even the squirrels have something to say.

Then, of course, there is Yapper making sure the entire neighborhood knows he is present. 🤣

I hear my Spanish-speaking neighbors talking and playing music. I hear music coming from the local venues. I hear people laughing and talking loudly as they make their way home from a neighborhood bar late at night.

I can recognize the sound of a car, motorcycle, truck, bus, or Amazon delivery vehicle without seeing it.

Sound tells me what is happening beyond my window.

Our ears collect sound waves and turn them into signals that travel to the brain, where they are interpreted and understood. National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders⁠

What I Smell

Sometimes the neighborhood reaches the Tower through my nose.

I can smell the local bakery and nearby eateries. I smell my neighbors cooking or barbecuing.

I can also smell when something does not seem right—like that unmistakable odor from a car when something mechanical is not working properly.

Our sense of smell brings pleasure, but it can also warn us about spoiled food, smoke, fire, gas, and other possible dangers. NIDCD⁠

What I Taste

We order from DoorDash quite often, so we try a variety of foods, treats, and drinks.

There is nothing better than the moment something delicious reaches my taste buds.

Of course, taste is not always pleasant.

There is morning breath. There is the strange aftertaste from certain foods or medications. And then there is that disappointing moment when something looks like it should be delicious—but your taste buds strongly disagree. 🤣

Taste and smell work together to create much of what we experience as flavor. That is why food may not seem quite the same when our nose is congested or our sense of smell changes. NIDCD⁠

What I Touch and Feel

I believe I pay more attention to the way things feel because I find myself holding onto objects as I move around my space.

I notice whether something feels sturdy enough to support me. I feel the texture of furniture beneath my hands. I recognize whether the floor feels secure under my feet.

Touch has become part of how I safely navigate my environment.

I also love petting my grandcats whenever they decide to come close enough to hang out with me.

And I recently noticed that I rub my feet together when I am lying in bed.

Apparently, it is one of my comfort habits.

And I can tell you this much—I have very soft feet. 🤣

Our Senses Tell Our Story

Our senses do much more than help us see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.

They help us recognize what is familiar.

They connect us to memories.

They alert us when something may be wrong.

They allow us to experience comfort, pleasure, safety, and connection.

They also help ground us in the present moment.

Working from home and spending more time in my Tower has not completely separated me from the world outside. In many ways, it has taught me to notice that world more carefully.

I may not always be walking through the neighborhood, but I can see it, hear it, smell it, taste parts of it, and feel the life happening around me.

Those are the things I have noticed from the Tower.

But I am willing to bet that all of us use our five senses in hundreds of different ways throughout the day without even realizing it.

What familiar sound lets you know you are home?

What smell takes you back to another time?

What texture brings you comfort?

What taste makes you close your eyes and enjoy the moment?

And what do you see every day that someone else might completely overlook?

How do you experience life through your five senses?

Let’s Talk About It. 🌻

Real Talk with Lady Flava 🌻