The Sound of Silence!

Daily, we are inundated with sound. Of course, there is sound we choose to listen to, but then there is the annoying, unnerving, irritating, sometimes even terrifying noise that permiates our everyday existence. It never ends: there is noise from the air space above including planes or helicopters, from automobiles racing past our window, from police or ambulance sirens on their way to an accident or crime, the relentless hum of computers, the "noise" we call music that pulses from a car next to us at a stoplight. (What kind of music can that be, and how loud must it be played to be effective?). There is the television, constantly on, whether watched or not. There are the hideous jingles of cel phones alerting us to an in-coming, and ever-so-important call. Over time, we have gotten used to an ever-ascending decibel level.

It made me think about the sounds of 18th Century life. For one thing, there was no electricity, so there could be no television, radio, telephones, computers. There were no planes, trains, or automobiles. Right away, there is more silence. If you wanted to hear music, apart from a pianoforte or fiddle (for the most part) in your individual home, you could only hear orchestral music at a gathering, in a salon or concert hall (and it was not replayed; you had to listen intently in the first place - no multi-tasking allowed!).

If you went into your formal garden, you could hear water from a water-feature or fountain; if in the countryside, a babbling brook. You could definitely hear birds chirping, singing, fluttering their wings. Whether walking alone or with a partner, you could hear footsteps, and if you chose to do a little horse-back riding, you could hear the clop-clop of horses hooves. If you lived in the city, you might hear church bells peeling on a Sunday morning, calling the faithful to church, or the whirring wheels of a carriage. If you lived on a farm or plantation, you might hear the call of slave workers in the field, or perhaps a bit of their work song, the ryhthmic acapella songs intended to increase productivity while reducing feelings of boredom. You might even, unfortunately, hear the whipping of a disobedient servant, or the cry of a child.

As evening came on, you would probably hear even less, perhaps only the sound of a cricket chirping, or a fire crackling in the hearth, or the scratching of a quill pen on parchment on a candle-lit desk.

The more quiet the environment, the more one's ears tend to focus on incredibly small sound. Even snow can be heard, muffled drops of white falling quietly. Or torments of rain and the crack of thunder in the far distance.

Imagine how incredible it would be to really hear! In an undisturbed environment. It is in this kind of silence in which great inspiration has come, the writing of timeless stories, poetry and music that still endures, letter-writing and conversation that brought real intimacy. Our world today "enjoys" instant communication and we have the entire world at our fingertips, but at what price? We bore easily, we crave more stimulous, as if it is a drug, and we multi-task, as if we will miss out on something.

Take time for silence. You may hear something amazing!