Humming

Not long into my last relationship, my partner told me my humming drove him nuts. I hum all the time almost without realizing it. My kids notice it too. They grew up with it.

The other day I caught myself humming and stopped. I'd worked hard not to hum around him, and this time I stopped because I thought I might be bugging my daughter. It brought up a sadness in me, that I push down parts of myself for others. For him.

But I read recently that humming is like chanting. It creates vibrations in your throat and chest that calm the vagus nerve and settle the nervous system.

I hum. It's who I am.