When one walks the streets of Philadelphia...or any City..or any Town...or any Airport...any Stadium...nearly everywhere...one sees people with wires leading to their ears. Ipods or ancient "Walkmen" blasting music into the heads of everyday people on a nearly constant basis. Why do so many people feel compelled to pipe a soundtrack into their lives?
Why does nearly every stadium feel it necessary to blast music between innnings during baseball games...during breaks in Football and during time outs in Hockey. These queries do not even consider the amount of time we use cell phones or get assaulted by TV and traffic noise.
One of the truly wonderful things about various outdoor pursuits is the time spent in virtual silence.
For the few moments before dawn in a duck blind the world is silent. Even as the marsh begins to wake up one hears only natural ambient sounds of wind and a few birds. Experiencing the natural world at times like these is one of the reasons we Sportsmen take to the field.
A deer stand can offer long periods of stark silence...punctuated now and then by a squirrel rustling in leaves or a Blue Jay calling.
Surf fishing necessarily places the participant next to the roaring surf...but the rythmic symphony of waves breaking is a type of quiet in the form of the absence of man made noise. Sitting on the beach watching your surf rod in it's stand provides ample time for reflection and relaxation.
A person often cannot recall or appreciate the calming effect of silence until it is experienced for an extended period. Long periods of quiet afford time for restorative thinking and contemplative self assesment. As the old saying goes: Silence is golden. Check the market..the price of gold is going up.
I never realized that about 'listen' and 'silent' before. Nice post.
ReplyDeleteI find myself SEARCHING for silence. You are 100% dead-on with this.
ReplyDeleteI have often tried to explain to people the experience of being there as a marsh comes alive. It is mostly a futile exercise, "Ya had to be there". I'm glad you have been.
ReplyDeleteMostly its like women and chewing gum. It's a fear that if the noise stops the brain will engage.
ReplyDeleteNice post, resonates with me especially here on the Gulf coast amongst all this natural beauty currently under threat. You're right. Just being outside and listening is a beautiful thing.
ReplyDeleteI love getting outside in nature. The silence can be so wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI love your header.
Would you like to exchange links?