When you look at this picture, what do you hear?
Nothing, right? It's just a picture! There's nothing to hear!
Except that's what I actually heard when I took this photo in that spot.
It's not usually silent on my morning walks. In the summer, there's a cacophony of birds and far more traffic on the paved road a half mile away. Any time of year, there's likely to be at least some wind whistling past my ears.
But in the winter, before the sun is even up, if there is no wind and no one happening to drive on that paved road while I'm walking, I can stop and hear the blissful sound of . . . silence.
I don't know if you've ever really heard silence before. It is certainly pretty much impossible in a man-made environment. It's not very common even in nature. The only times I've experienced true silence are in winter, often after a snowfall, when everything is muffled and the animals aren't moving around**.
But here, even when there isn't any snow, I can sometimes go out for a morning walk and stand still in perfect silence*.
Bliss. And the perfect counterbalance to a season that is, despite all the joy, a very loud one.
* What's funny is that perfect silence actually sounds a bit like faint ringing, I suppose because at such times it's actually possible to hear my own blood moving.
** Which reminds me of my favorite Christmas carol, an Austrian song called "Still, Still, Still." It's hard for me to find good versions of carols like this, because they tend to be sung by large choirs, which sounds beautiful but makes it hard to actually hear the words. Here's an a cappella version by a men's group in which you can hear the lyrics, although it's not my favorite version.
10 comments:
Yes. Silence is an oasis.
Still Still Still is one of my very favorites!
I have a friend who is in a German choir and they sing it every year - it’s beautiful in German too!
Juli E.
Look for SOUND OF SILENCE---- Disturbed's version.
Thank you for the photo and the beautiful song. My grandparents were Austrian immigrants and the melody instantly transported me back to childhood and their singing or humming it but I did not know the name of the song. Thank you!
I live between two busy roads and the only time it's completely quiet is when it's snowing. You have much to enjoy! The song is lovely.
Oh, amen to Gemma's person comment. David Drayman has quite the vocal range. A professionally trained cantor in Jewish church/religion. Blew up the Rabi's van. He actually was a Hospital Administrator for several years before doing what he actually loves - singing. Can you tell I'm a big fan of his?!?!?
Actually, the spelling is Draiman rather than Drayman. You would think if I was such a big fan, I would know how to spell his last name. :)
Karen.: It is. An excellent description.
G.P.: I have never hard of Disturbed. I'm only familiar with the Simon and Garfunkel version, although my first experience with the song was in my 5th grade choir book. Kind of a heavy choice for an elementary choir, now that I think about it.
Anonymous: Oh, that makes me so happy. You are so welcome.
Elaine N.: Snow is nature's way of stopping us humans in our busy little tracks. :-)
We actually sing this at church, and have a beautiful arrangement this year.
Sorry - moi
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