April 24, 2015

WHAT’S IMPORTANT?

The teen-ager couldn’t wait for summer,

couldn’t wait for all those summer mornings

he and his grandfather

went fishing, went talking.

“Grandpa, what’s important?”

(LONG PAUSE)

“Well, you’ll have to sit back and listen to people

for the answer to that one.

“Or better, you’ll have to watch people.

Watch their hands, their faces,

but especially watch their eyes.

People always tell you

what’s important with their eyes.

“Why I once had a man tell me that his wife

was dead 3 years and 44 days

and he was still counting,

and his eyes were still crying

“Or listen to your grandma next time you take

her shopping. Listen to the things

she brings up -- the things she talks about

when she meets her friends.

I know you always find shopping

with her boring, but watch her

as she takes out her pictures of you

and all her other grandchildren

to show them to her friends.

“Watch people watch their watches.

They’re telling you an awful lot.

And yawns . . . Notice yawns.

They’re always a dead give away.

“Listen to the sounds behind words, behind voices . . .

what people get angry at,

when they get mad.

Then you’ll know when someone is stepping on somebody’s values or somebody’s nerves.

Then you’ll know that someone is going beyond

somebody’s ‘No trespassing. Private property’ sign.

“And don’t worry too much about people’s answers.

Listen to their questions.

Questions always tell you a lot more.”

(LONG PAUSE)

“By the way, why did you ask that question?” 

(c) Andy Costello