Listen For A Change
This commercial shows a woman doing cross country running.
She’s covered in glistening sweat, clearly fit and pushing herself. Headset on with an overplay of a woman giving her motivational comments as if she were there with the runner. It’s for Audible tapes and the commercial ends with a camera backup of this steepening root covered run way path up the incline, sun dappled trees and light dancing, lush Forrest. A voice over says “Listen for a Change”.
At first I thought what a cool commercial. It makes me want to be in that persons spot, running. Challenged. Determined. But then, I really notice the beautiful place she’s running through. And I think how she can only see right in front of her feet on her path. Just the other woman’s voice telling her what to feel. Running.... and I thought how she’s missing the sound of the air hitting her ears and the crunch of twigs that she feels in her feet in unison. She’s missing the smaller sounds under that. A quick rustling in the old clinger on dead leaves. The sound of her own breathing. Shes missing the healing she could be getting there. It’s full benefits at least. Her own little private zen. And where her thoughts went immediately prior to that zen.
It’s all lost with that headset on.
I change my mind. It’s not cool.
And I think I was listening closer than Audio Tapes meant.