When the Heart Speaks, Listen!

“…Many times, what people need is not a brilliant mind that speaks but a special heart that listens.”
~F. Scott Fitzgerald

Photo by Rachel Walker on Unsplash

"The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart."
- Helen Keller 

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When was the last time you felt your heartbeat?

When was there a time when it has been so quiet that you could hear the beating of your heart in your ears?

What kind of feelings flowed ~ what memories?

Was there warmth and calmness, a sense of home? In that reflection, what did home feel like, and where is home? Is a peace felt? Do emotions rise?

When the heart speaks, are we listening?

Love can be a mushy word at times; ask any 8 year old.😄

When someone talks about the word “love” in a group, we can feel instantly uncomfortable, especially if we don’t know them well. Why is that? And what is it that we don’t know about love?

Quite a bit. Love is not just romance, courtship, and enchantments, although those traits are beautiful. Love has a strength that cannot be reckoned with when put to the test. We were created by and in a powerful essence of pure Love, which reflects this truth when we allow it.

For instance:

We have all heard and watched stories about mothers who see their child trapped underneath a car, and immediately, they become like Hercules and lift the vehicle off of them, and the child is safe. Or a group of teens see the same kind of crisis, and in seconds, they all run around the vehicle and lift it like it was cardboard? Where does that superhuman power come from? The strength pulsates through their muscles, and they instantly release energy from their bodies to bring a steady, powerful force to take immense action in a situation like this.

I looked up the name of this experience. The article from Healthline says:

“Hysterical strength refers to extraordinary displays of human strength, typically prompted by a life-threatening situation. One commonly cited example is a parent lifting up a vehicle to save a trapped child.”

I think when asked later where they found the strength to do this, after visualizing this experience, if it were my child, I think I would say, “My child was trapped; Nothing could have stopped me from saving them.”

When they would be holding that child close afterwards, I can only imagine how many times they repeated the words, “I love you” from their mouths, heart and the arms that were holding them. Love moves mountains and plants the seeds of ten-foot bushes.

When I hear or read about the senseless acts of violence towards children of all ages, my heart starts beating quickly, and the emotions I feel make it difficult to breathe. Pictures of small children, afraid and unknowing, float through my mind. As a mother and a grandmother, these emotions deeply affect me. I sometimes have to stop reading and count my breaths to calm myself. I have realized that the heart understands this pain well before the mind recognizes it and responds instantly.

The power of the heart is one of our most profound teachers. When any child is subjected to devastating fear and pain of this kind, our hearts respond quickly and deeply. We instantly connect energetically over TVs, the internet, our phones, tablets, and computers in a mournful yet protective, loving way that bonds us together and brings unspoken comfort and healing to all involved. And this is the kind of profound energy our heart carries and the many channels of Love.

I’ve heard that many moms and dads will draw tiny hearts on their young children’s hands before heading to school for the first time and tell them when they become afraid or miss them, look at the heart or rub it and remember that they are loved. What a heartwarming idea.

When someone draws a heart on a child’s hand, it is effortless. Yet, this simple act has such an impact and meaning. It is something a child will never forget, ever! They will remember the first time it happened and the beautiful feeling they felt every time they glanced at it throughout their day. They knew they were loved by those who loved them the most.

When my boys were young, I would draw a heart on their lunch napkins and include a few words with a positive message. Then, they loved it! However, as they got older (teenagers), they would feel embarrassed if their friends saw it. So, they would carefully pull it out of their lunch box, read it, and quickly hide it so the other kids wouldn’t make fun of them. They came home one day and told me doing this was beginning to be embarrassing. So, I stopped writing words. Instead, I would put a little heart on the napkin so only they would see, and they were okay with it.

They are now in their 40s, and when we’re all together, sitting around the dining room table, and the subject of the lunch bag notes comes up, the laughter always begins! They would outdo each other on where they hid those notes and how the messages helped them get through their day. As I listened, emotions from my heart would rise, full of joy. Their fun laughter was a soft reminder to me that they knew I loved them.

All of us now live in different parts of the country, and there are times I will text them before they start their day with a “Good morning hon, enjoy your day and remember that I love you as I breathe.💖”. Yes, I always add the heart, and I love that phrase; how much closer can one get to that kind of love than the breath? And I would always receive a heart emoji back! It is the symbol that they know they are deeply loved and cherished even as adults and that they love us back.

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During times when our bodies express grief, anxiety, and emotional fear, I use a technique I have learned over the years from yoga and spiritual teachers that may be helpful during those difficult times.

When emotional fear arises and the heart starts to beat quickly, find a space where you can be still, sit comfortably, and close your eyes. Slowly count to five, then hold it for the count of five, breathe out to the count of five, hold, and breathe in again. Continue this rhythm as your breath softens and you will feel the movement of your heart relax. After about five minutes, if you feel calm within, return to your regular breathing.

Then, visualize moving this erratic fear-based energy into your heart and gradually breathe into it. Don’t think about what has caused the fear; just continue breathing and make it feel good.

The slower the better.

Doing this will allow a sense of calm and peace to be present and will slow down the discomfort, allowing balance to be restored by resting the discomfort in your heart. (Unless it is a medical condition then…best to have your doctor take a look.😬)

Love has no filters; we decide when and how to experience this powerful, loving advisor...or not.

I am guided to share with you, my kind readers, stories that are meaningful, uplifting, and inspiring with a message of what my heart has longed to express—Love.

Who I am, we are, is what the Consciousness of All Love created in me/us. My heart has quietly and patiently waited for the opportunity to speak. Now, I have a platform where I am able to give this wise, awe-inspiring energy the podium to share whatever it feels will reach the hearts of those who step on my path. I am not here to change you but to honor and remind you of the incredible teacher you are for us just by how you live your life.🦋

Wishing you a continued month of Love that will follow you throughout the year and your life.

"It's much easier to be convincing if you care about your topic. Figure out what's important to you about your message and speak from the heart." ~ Nicholas Boothman

What does love have to do with it? Everything.💖

Thought to Ponder:
In what ways could listening to your heart bring you to a more peaceful and uplifting outlook about your life?

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

Thank you for stopping by and reading my work. If you feel someone would benefit from this story, please pass it along.

©Terry Pottinger 2025