Fun fact. I'm colorblind.

I also draw like a 4-year-old kid, and my fashion sense could be described as "challenged". Although I don't wear glasses, I have issues with putting together specific visuals. I'm great with the visualization of goals and purpose but terrible at suggesting what color the bedroom needs to be painted.

My wife will show me all sorts of colors in Home Depot's paint department, and all I can do is nod and try to support whatever decision she inevitably makes, with or without my input. She doesn't trust my judgment; I think she just asks to be nice. I am, however, a great listener. So, as my wife makes the decision, on her own, with my "support", I just do my best to listen to her rationalize and come to a decision.

I may not always take the time to stop and smell the roses, but I do pause and listen to what's happening around me. Experiencing life through listening is often more important than seeing it with your eyes. You can easily capture what you see through an iPhone, but listening is a one-take deal.

I will now share with you some of my favorite sounds...

I love the sound of my wife laughing. My heart grows full when Christal gets going with an uncontrollable and oxygen-robbing belly laugh. Tears roll down her cheeks, and eventually, her nose starts to run as she laughs to the point of paralysis. 25+ years together, and I'm fortunate enough to push her to that place of laughter still. My goal is to hear as many of those laughs as possible. I'm jealous because I cannot remember the last time I laughed as hard and as long as she often does.

"Daddy" is probably my favorite word, and I love its sound. I hope my children never stop calling me this, and I am not looking forward to the day when they eventually feel the need to shorten it. Erin is my best chance of keeping that word going, as Sean will eventually shorten it to "Dad." Even when my kids are driving me crazy, and I'm about to yell, that word cuts through and melts my heart. Daddy is my favorite of all the titles I've been given in life.

The guitar intro to "Sweet Child of Mine" by Guns N' Roses. It does not matter what is happening or what I'm doing, that intro stops me in my tracks. The song is meant to be listened to at the loudest volume possible before blowing out your speakers and will not be turned down or trumped by anyone trying to have a conversation with me. They can wait the 5:56 for the album version or 3:57 minutes for the radio edit to finish playing before they can speak to me again. Hope the house doesn't catch on fire at the same time the song starts, because I will give the fire department the "one minute finger" as they climb up the side of the house to rescue me. I have heard hundreds of thousands of songs, but no other song causes me to freeze like this one. "Sweet Child of Mine" connects me to both of my deceased brothers, and both weaken and revive my spirit. My connection with Jimmy and Michael has always been about music, and because I cannot hear or see them, this song allows me to feel them.

#Tryharder to hear life. We get so wrapped up in all the negative distractions and the audio traffic of the world around us that we often find ourselves trying to consume or block out too much. Noise becomes life, and we need to strip things down and return to the basewood of our spirit. We need to hear more, but love what we hear. To consume what matters and really listen to the hum of life.

Make a list of the things you love to hear and work to hear them more often. Seeing life is wonderful, but closing our eyes and hearing the beat of our surroundings helps to bring us back to what really matters.