Waves...

When someone says waves, I think of several things. I can't tell you which comes into my mind first. I think they enter it simultaneously. Mainly, I think of four different types of waves, each special in its own way.

1. The Beach: The waves lap around my feet, and the setting sun colors the water orange. Children are laughing as they run barefoot through the water. Seagulls swoop across the pink and blue sky. The white clouds drift slowly by.

2. Family: I help get my aunt's kids into their coats and shoes. I buckle them into their car-seats. As the car backs down the driveway, I can hear a young voice calling, "Bye-bye!" and I see a tiny hand waving farewell.

3. Heat: Heat waves dance across blacktop as I play in the sprinkler on a hot summer day. I run barefoot across the driveway. It is too hot to touch, except where the spray water has cooled it. The water cools my hot head, and soaks my hair. I look at the sun through the water, and see a rainbow glimmering softly.

4. Sound: Music. Laughter. Voices. Birds. Wind. All of these sounds reach my ears. How do I hear them? They are sound waves. Without them, I would live in a world of silence. Without sound waves, I couldn't whisper in bed at night, or listen to classical music. I wouldn't be able to hear a baby's soft cry, or a bird's sweet song. I'm very grateful for sound waves.