She arrived in the United States of America from Finland at age 11, but 89 years later my little grandma was still whispering heavily accented broken English—“I yus vish my Safyore voot tek me home.”

Have you noticed we have homogenized sound these days? I have a theory. It's because of television.

On our annual summertime trip to Kansas from Northern Minnesota, my siblings and I knew we were getting closer by the accents of gas station clerks or waitresses—who didn't even know us, but called us Honey or Sweetie or, my favorite, Darlin'.

Together with the cousins again after a year it wasn't too difficult (except we said pop and they said soda), but it required hard listening for a day or two until I could understand Uncle JB. He'd emigrated north from Oklahoma!

I noticed it on my last trip a couple of years ago. My cousins' children don't sound like their parents did. They talk normal. Like the people on TV!

The other day I watched a video of another cousin. She only said two words, but I heard The West in her voice. Her kids, I'll bet, sound like the people on TV.

Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20