13 November 2017

The Loss of Silence

Nothing has changed the nature of people so much as the loss of silence.  The invention of printing, technics, compulsory education--nothing has so altered us as this lack of relationship to silence, this fact that silence is no longer taken for granted, as something as natural as the sky above or the air we breathe.  We who have lost silence have not merely lost one human quality but our whole structure has been changed thereby.   -Max Picard


This is a fact of life that scares me sometimes.  It annoys me very often, also, but I'm much less concerned about being annoyed by something than being scared by something.  Silence is one of the most important parts of life, yet it's something that we ignore regularly, and it's one of the necessities of life of which we very often deprive others, whether we're aware of it or not.

I love quiet times at home, and in my home I really should have the right to enjoy silence when I want to.  I can't tell you how many times, though, a beautiful, peaceful spring evening has been ruined by the sound of a power mower--even as late as eight or nine.  I've had peaceful Saturday mornings disturbed by the loud, high-pitched whine of model car motors on the street outside.  Many people in their cars have their stereos turned up extremely high, making sure that they disturb people in the homes that they drive by.

Our loss of silence makes it difficult for us to focus and concentrate.  It makes it hard for us to find our own centers, for we're constantly distracted by external forces.  Our internal workings are a mystery to us because we're so often distracted by things outside of ourselves.  When we get home we turn on the television or radio so that we don't have to deal with silence, and our brains don't get a rest from processing outside noise.

We need the quiet.  We need to find it in our lives, and we need to create it in our lives.  Even if it's just ducking into a quiet room for ten or fifteen minutes to relax and to breathe without any external stimuli, it's important that we do so.  A nice hot bath in a secluded bathroom with no music playing--or soft instrumental music that doesn't require mental processing--can do wonders for us.  Sometimes the silence is a bit overwhelming, but that's okay--we still need it, and it can be a healing force for us if only we allow it to be in order to heal.  There are many sounds that I love, but they generally aren't as helpful to me as silence is, as long as I make sure that it's a part of my life.

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