Friday, July 4, 2008

Silence

I long for silence. Just a few hours with no noise, no machines, no talking. Just silence.

Our neighborhood is so loud. All this week people have had work done on their houses. One is getting siding. One is getting a brick driveway. At least two are getting roofs. And I have no idea what is going on behind us where they keep burning branches right next to their house.

I thought today might be quieter. It is a holiday. It started out that way. Then the lawn mowers got fired up. Next will come the weedwhackers. And why on earth do they need a leaf blower when the lots are only 40 feet by 70 feet? These aren't big estates we live on.

Our library isn't quiet. It is overcrowded and bustling. The library board likes it that way. It is good leverage for why they need to increase our taxes to build an addition.

Stores aren't quiet. They play the music so loud I often cannot hear Violet when she's standing next to me.

The roads aren't quiet. $4.25 a gallon hasn't stopped anyone.

The sidewalks aren't quiet. The kids are running up and down shouting all the time. Probably have to shout to be heard over the other noise. And that kid with the little tiny loud moped like thing that buzzes up and down the street for an hour every evening? I'm thinking boarding school far, far away.

If you leave me a comment, please type softly. I'll hear you. I'm designating this blog my quiet zone. Shh.

4 comments:

Fatcat said...

You might want to get some earplugs for the fireworks tonight. either
;-)

MOM #1 said...

Well, it has been my experience that when I wake up and say "Today I want the house cleaned from top to bottom," everyone disappears and I get a lot of peace, quiet and the hottest commodity, solitude. ;-)

Red said...

I loved the title to this post and the shole post in general.

People underestimate the need and power of silence. I have a dear friend who I enjot her company so much but her children(Who are old enough to know better), never give us a moments peace. So visitng her is rare in my book and I always feel drained when I leave, so it defeats my visiting her. I am almost glad to leave to get away from her children. They are not bad children, they just never let us be.

Shhhhhhhh!!!!

Anonymous said...

I'm home! (Typed very softly. Even the exclamation point.)