Do you hate the glaring and annoying sound of an alarm clock? How about the high pitch scream of a smoke detector? What about being awakened way too early by the very loud and deep bass sound of hip-hop music? If you read my post yesterday, “Improve Your Mornings,” then you already know I don’t “do” mornings. If you’re like me, that is a sure fire way to instantly make me extremely crabby in the morning!
Just across from where I live is a large (normally empty) parking lot behind our local mall. The only time you’ll see cars parked there is during the hectic holiday shopping season. Otherwise, for the most part, it is empty and very quiet. No such luck today! A 3-on-3 basketball tournament began early this morning. I expected to hear some noise, but I had no idea it would involve a traveling DJ service with incredibly loud music. I had my AC window unit on full blast (it was 102F today) and the TV turned up loud as I watched the olympics. The bass still rattled my home and eventually my brain. I couldn’t make enough noise in my home to drown out the boom of the bass.
I enjoy my peace and quiet.
This has been my personal preference for most of my life; but I have found that the older I get, the more I like it. I would much rather watch 
my television than listen to it. I enjoy traveling in the car without the noise of the stereo. I abhor the sound of car engines racing, tires screeching, and horns blasting. Sirens, people screaming, dogs barking incessantly…I don’t enjoy any of this noise pollution!
Am I just getting old?
I did celebrate a birthday in June. I am now teetering on the step of the big 5-0! So, I know I don’t need hearing aids. My hearing is very good, maybe a tad too good. So, what is the opposite of hearings aids. Oh yes I remember, ear plugs. I have needed to use these on occasion. Despite my longing for silence, I do believe there is such a thing as eerie silence. I don’t know about you, but when I wear earplugs I’m fairly certain I can hear my brain. I think I’m digressing. The sounds from today have me thinking.
Sounds I enjoy in my native state that I consider silence.
- The ocean waves crashing on the rocks along the Oregon coast.
- Our native owls hooting to one another across an open field.
- A breeze rustling through the leaves of an Oregon Maple tree.
- The sound of white water from the Willamette River.
- Cascade Mountain range during winter when the snow is falling on the fir trees.
In no way is this a comprehensive list. These are the top 5 that first came to mind. As you can see from my list, the sounds of silence I enjoy are all in nature. These are the types of sounds where I can still read a book, converse on the telephone, and write my next blog post. In other words, I can still concentrate. To many these sounds would be considered as “white noise.” I agree! They are sounds that make me feel relaxed, at peace, and a place where I feel completely grounded.
What quiet sounds do you enjoy? Any sounds that are unique to your neck of the woods? Please leave a comment. I would love to hear about your silent sounds.
©Julie Corbett
Thoughts by Ajae 
I have considered going to a silent retreat at a monastery on the Chattahoochee near me. I’ve been wanting to get totally silent for a few days of late. However, I wonder if I can take my laptop – – – not that I want to tay connected, I want the information I feel I will want to research when my mind if empty and I can actually think!
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I have been to a silent retreat. It was heavenly. I left all of my electronics at home. However, like you, I wanted the opportunity to write things down. And thus, I carried the old fashioned pen and paper. I traveled to the retreat with a friend, but we agreed we didn’t want to converse until the retreat was over. I felt so rejuvenated when I returned. Do it!
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I have considered going on a silent retreat – there is a monastery near me on the Chattahoochee that offers it – in fact, they offer day retreats. Sometimes you just have to get quiet to reflect and really think – empty your mind!
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I completely agree with you. I went on a silent retreat that was one day. It was one of the best things I have ever done for myself!
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We moved to the east coast last summer, and one summer sound that I found either annoying or incredibly relaxing (depending on my mood) are the Katydid crickets. They are so loud and overpowering in the summer, but their constant noise is like a really nice white noise machine when I need it.
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Yes, I so agree! We have crickets here as well. After a few nights, I got used to them. When I was going to bed at night, listening to the music of the crickets was kind of reassuring. If they felt safe in the grass outside, then I knew all was right in the world.
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Don’t hate me but I really love mornings. The bad thing for me, though, is I also love late nights. So our schedule rarely has us out of bed before 9:30 am and it’s often more like 10:30. I always feel better when I get up earlier, though.
And I love silence with nature sounds. My favorite is rain, but birds, crickets…it’s all good. I even love cicadas, and they can definitely fill the air with noise.
I listen to massive amounts of music, too. Music is like breathing, to me. It sustains me. 🙂
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It sounds as though we are cut from the same fold. When I used to live out in the country, I loved all of the sounds from nature at night. To me, there is something so soothing about listening to the steady and consistent sound of the crickets!
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I enjoy water sounds…lake, ocean, waterfalls. I also enjoy listening to birds
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I love all of those sounds as well! It’s amazing how many of us like the sounds of nature. I think it has to do with our generation, as we didn’t grow up with all of the technology gadgets. 😉
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I’m not a morning person either. I love peace and quiet and being able to spend time in nature. My favourite place to be is the beach but unfortunately I don’t live near one at the moment. I love to hear the waves.
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I am so in agreement with you on this one! The beach is by far my favorite place. It is only an hour drive from where I live, but I can’t always afford the extra gas money for the month. I would like to move to the coast some day. But, I am staying put for now as I want to stay close to my adult son. We’ll have to exchange photos of our favorite times and places at the beach!
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I can’t listen to music as background noise and, eg, read a book, and since I prefer reading, I’ll choose silence or white noise sounds.
Also, mornings? Ugh!
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I totally agree with you! Yes, it was 8:25am on Saturday and 9:10am today. This may not seem too early to others. However, I go to bed very late and thus I sleep late. I don’t normally rise until around 10am. Needless to say, I have learned this is a very unpleasant way to wake up in the morning. 😉
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The sound on a pebbly beach when the wave has come in then it crackles it’s way back through the pebbles as it ebbs. Lovely
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What an awesome sound indeed! Thank you for sharing!
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I have discovered that since some serious health issues at the end of last year, I enjoy both silence and my own company, never used to, perhaps is facing up to your own mortality that does it
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I completely agree with you!
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