Sounds of Silence

“But my words, like silent raindrops fell. And echoed in the wells of silence.” That’s a line from Simon and Garfunkel’s “Sounds of Silence”. I am reminded about the virtues of silence in, this, one of the noisiest weekends of the year. It’s Independence Day, Fourth of July! We Americans like to celebrate with noise, with fireworks, the louder the better. It’s how we roll. As a lover of quiet, I am not a fan. But, I get it. It’s that time of year. But really, 3 am, like last night. Call me Karen, but I do not appreciate that. So instead of going full Karen, I instead will extol the virtues of silence and quiet.

I recently went tent camping. Silence and darkness all through the night. You could see the stars, lots of them. The only thing to break the silence, at 4:30 am, was the quiet sounds of chirping birds. I walked down to the lake and watched the sunrise over the water. Total silence except for the sound of some geese feeding in the water nearby. It was wonderful. It was my time, alone and serene. In a matter of an hour the rest of the campground would awaken, the sound of car doors and cast iron frying pans.

I sometimes do salt water floats at Bethlehem’s Metta Relaxation Company. This is another oasis of silence. Alone, in a totally dark room, lying naked, suspended in a tub of salt water, in total silence except for the slight ripple of water as you move ever so slightly. That silence is broken only by the playing of soft music to let you know your time of quiet and solitude is at an end.

One more. Hiking the Appalachian Trail in the dead of winter. So quiet, and peaceful. No sound except for your footsteps. No bird sounds. Not even the sound of a squirrel or chipmunk running through leaves. It makes you think that you are the only person left on Earth. And, at least for an hour or two, what could be better than that.

Enjoy your cherry bombs and your Roman Candles. I can put up with it for another day or two. But, being the introvert that I am, I will soon be on the lookout for my quiet places. Those places that calm my soul and recharge my energy cells. Those places that make me feel alive. Those places that spark my spirituality.

Happy Birthday, America! No matter how you choose to celebrate, I hope you have fun. For me, tonight I may sleep with earplugs. Ahhhh, the sounds of silence!