To mother is to repeat yourself is to mother.

I just had my hearing tested. I made a special request at my checkup to have it done because I feel like I can't hear anyone. Like they are mumbling at me. And so, I thought, maybe I am going deaf. Maybe my hearing is not quite what it should be. But it tested out great and my practitioner looked inside and said there's no blockages, looks all clean and healthy. So here's what I'm really thinking. Everyone mumbles.

They do it because they're lazy. They're to lazy to speak out clearly. Forming and articulating words is too much trouble to go to. You would have to move your tongue and lips and jaw and cheeks and make air come out at a reasonable rate. It's complicated. Too complicated when some murmuring and grunting and caveman pointing might get what you want.

They do it because they're rushing. Because going into the space where the person you want to communicate with and looking them in the face and being still instead of speaking while in transit is just going to take too much time.

They do it because they are uncertain of the message or themselves. Maybe they are worried that the reaction to what they have to say will be undesirable so they almost don't want to say it at all leading to lack of intentionality.

They do it because they want to say they informed me, but they really don't want to talk about it. Or because it's bad news they really don't want to own up to their part of.

They do it because it's a habit. Because that's how they always talk.

They do it because they don't gauge ambient noise well such as fans and running water.

They mumble because I mumble and they communicate like I do.

(*Old post from my drafts folder)