Yanni, Laurel or Love?

So I heard “that wedding sermon” last weekend. I didn’t really watch it – I was watching AFL – but somebody in my house was, so I heard it at the same time. Yes, I need to explain that, in case you think I care about royalty

If laurel = what was said

And yanny = what good hearing detects

Laurel = vague comments about love, and some Christian phrases

Yanny = humanism

Laurel or Yanny? I finally listened (so should you, or you’ll be lost before you even start reading this). What’s all the fuss? – clearly it’s ‘Laurel’.

But then I explored. Older ears hear the lower frequency ‘Laurel’. Younger ears hear the higher frequency noise ‘Yanny’. Then I’m told it’s down to the audio equipment you use. Better equipment reproduces the ‘Yanny’. Cheaper equipment just reproduces the ‘Laurel’. So which is it – my hearing, or my device? Both?

You say ‘Yanny’, I say ‘Laurel’, let’s call the whole thing off!

There’s more going on here though, isn’t there?

Because at the very beginning of this, somebody tried to help us hear how ‘Laurel’ sounds. But apparently ‘Laurel’ sounds very much like ‘Yanny’ (I say ‘apparently’ because I can’t hear it, but maybe I have old ears!)

Communication is hard. I’m in communications too. I want to share a message about Jesus.  To keep with the illustration, I think some people hear ‘Yanny’ no matter how clearly I say ‘Laurel’.

I guess we all just have to be more patient with each other. Perhaps even spell out what we mean and check we’re listening to what is really being said.

After all, ‘Laurel’ is the right answer. Isn’t it?

St Paul’s Anglican Church meets on Sundays at 9am with kids church. All welcome.