Sadly, this is the only illustration I could find for any of the phrases that jumped to mind at the prompt 'catch.' #3 below.
GO:
1. "Catch me if you can!"
2. "I feel like I'm constantly playing catch-up."
3. "Did you catch what she said?"
4. "Can I catch that (meaning is it infectious or not)?"
5. "What's the catch-of-the-day?"
6. "Wanna play catch?"
7. "She had a catch in her voice."
1. There have been too many days in my life when I've played the game from that first quote - running too fast, in too many different directions, running away from my thoughts by filling my hands with work to do.
2. There have also been too many days when I've felt hopelessly behind the 8-ball, wondering if I will ever make headway - in learning a new skill or in clearing a stack of un-filed paperwork, or in making sense of what's happening in the life of someone I love.
3. And, of course, as I get older - there is a little bit more of that third question. Gotta work a little bit harder to pick up every nuance in a multi-sided conversation.
4. Probably haven't spent enough time worrying about catching bugs of different kinds - I am not a neat freak, seldom use hand sanitizer, will pick up a morsel of food off a restaurant table top. Nope, I don't worry too much about that kind of catching.
5. But I LOVE seafood and ask that 4th question a lot when dining out. Love me some salmon or sea bass or scampi. Oh yeah.
6. And I NEVER play catch - can't catch a ball of almost any size to save my life. A source of huge embarrassment growing up, but not so much any more. I seem to be more at piece with my klutziness these days.
7. But that last one - well, that's something I've become quite skilled at picking up. That catch in the voice when someone is nearing a tender topic, when something of great import is about to be shared, when the past weight of some great sadness bears heavily in the moment. That skill comes with time, with intent, with experience.
But there are wonderful catches in voices, too - times when joy overflows and needs to be shared. That's my very favorite kind of catching - and I ask God for ears to hear both kinds of vocal catches, to pay attention to what is being shared. I ask God to fill the space between me and the other person, guiding me into careful words, caring presence and loving attention. That's a kind of catch that does get better with practice.
STOP
Went long tonight. Sorry about that. About double time, I think. (numbers & photo added afterwards)
