Peace and Quiet! I’m convinced that the world needs much more Peace and Quiet! I know that I do from time to time! We are inundated daily with constant noise from all kinds of sources! Traffic, radios, television, audio books, concerts, mp3 players, smart phones, tablets, laptops, videos on YouTube and Face Book and Twitter, the people next to us (or three tables away) in a restaurant, art galleries . . . Everywhere we turn, there is noise! It’s enough to drive one insane!
Tonight as I sat preparing to write thoughts for today, I was suddenly extremely irritated by the pointless noise blasting from the television (even though it was turned down way low)! My skin began to crawl! The vein on my right temple began to pulse and throb! My heart beat increased (I’m betting my BP did as well)! My temperature bumped a notch! I began to feel tightness in my chest, neck and shoulders! My nerves frayed! Ants began crawling under my skin (you know what that feels like)! I wanted to scream!
I asked my dear wife to turn on some soothing, peaceful music (which she kindly did) and I closed my eyes, found my safe place, took a few deep breaths and began to calm down. NOISE! I think if it could, it would attempt to kill us! At least it would seek to short circuit our brains a bit!
Noise, noise, noise! Most of it is pointless and yet we become accustomed to this continual onslaught on our bodies and minds! Noise is everywhere! I rarely realize how much noise slams my senses until they fight back with a resounding “ENOUGH!” Then all of those physical clues kick in and I am reminded of my need for Peace and Quiet.
Peace and Quiet are choices. Noise is not necessarily a choice – except, that is, when we flip switches or enter arenas or punch buttons or open doors and immerse ourselves in noise. Even Peace and Quiet has noise; however, it is of a different kind. It is the kind that calms, heals and relaxes. Finding and immersing myself in that kind of noise takes purposeful selection.
I am now going to stop the self-directed noise in my brain caused by my commitment to write Day 157 and close down shop! I am going to sit quietly, close my eyes, breathe deeply, focus on that quiet place in the mountains and relax. No more noise for now!
Won’t you join me?
Peace (and Quiet)!
Mark E. Hundley
