Sounds of My Life

I have been contemplating something, and I feel the need to get it out of my brain, my heart, my soul, and get it down on "paper" (wow, I never really thought of how old-school that expression really is now).  

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Sounds.

Our lives are filled with sounds.  Sounds that we shut out intentionally, sounds that we rely on, sounds that we detest, sounds that we hardly even notice, and sounds that we treasure.

Just think--of all of the wonderful sounds in the world, everyone has their own unique favorites that are special to them, and no two people love all of the same things.  Here's a list of some of the sounds that are important to me:

1.  I enjoy the sounds of nature.  

     I know, who doesn't?  There are times when I feel like I just have to have these sounds all around me.  

     I'm an indoor person, and almost always choose to be inside over being outside.  When it's barbeque time, how about we just cook the food outside and eat it inside?  If there are two pools to choose from, an indoor pool or an outdoor pool, I vote for the indoor one.  Tennis outdoors, or racquetball indoors?  OK, well that one is a no-brainer (it's racquetball all the way, all day, and all night, and forever).  Treadmill with a book or running out around town?  Treadmill please (unless you could go with me and be my running buddy!).  Nevertheless, when I do find myself outside, the sounds of nature are preferable to anything else.     

     When I run outside, or deliver newspapers with my son, I leave the iPod music at home or in the car, and take advantage of every moment I can of the sounds freely provided by Our Creator.  I prefer to hear the birds, frogs, locusts, crickets, bees, wind through the trees, and if I'm really lucky, the sound of water in a stream.  Hearing the sounds of nature makes me feel like I'm surrounded by little tiny miracles, miracles of creation, which brings me peace. 

2.  Rain.

     This is another sound of nature, I realize, but it's a little different than the sunshiney summer sounds.  This is one that I get to enjoy from inside the house, which makes it even better.

     Celine Dion starts one of her lesser-known songs with the sound of rain during the instrumental intro, and then the words begin, "I listen to the rain fallin' down my window..."  I love that song, simply because of that opening line.  Hearing the rain just makes me even that much more thankful for the comforts and protection of the inside of my home.  

     When I need to escape feelings of chaos that may have crowed around me, I like to turn on my "sounds of rain" that I've found on Youtube, and then I can mentally drift away to my happy place.  The sound of rain creates that escape for me like nothing else.   I'm so grateful that even though I left the comforting sounds of Oregon winter rain, I fortunately get to enjoy the beautiful drip drip drops that fall from the Pennsylvania skies!  Thank heavens for rain!

3.  Mystery Science Theater.

    A lot of people use certain sounds to help them fall asleep.  My father-in-law puts movies on his TV most nights to lull himself to sleep, my son puts on audio books of Harry Potter every night, others use a fan or a noise-maker, others music.  I don't rely on audio help at all to fall asleep, because I can normally fall sleep at the drop of a hat.  Or, if for some reason I my eyelids need a little nudge to begin their descent, a few pages in a book of any sort will do the trick.  

     But I do have a favorite lullabye--it's the theme song of Mystery Science Theater, followed by one of their ridiculous programs that cracks...me...up.  It's one of those kind of shows whose humor is so unrealistic and wacko that you can't help but wonder, "how do they come up with this stuff?"  I don't think I've ever watched an entire episode on my own, but my husband--as one who uses TV programs or movies to bring on the drowsiness--introduced me to this program as he went on an MST spree recently in the evenings to help himself relax at the end of the day.  I fell in love with that ridiculous nonsensical humor, and mysteriously like nothing else can, it makes me fall asleep with a smile on my face.  I love it.

4.  I love the sound of silence.

Specifically, the silence that comes when my family is all asleep, or temporarily out of the house (again, this is an in-house peace).  I have the world's greatest family, both immediate as well as extended, but... when family chaos fills my cup to overflowing, and my capacity for patience needs a good detoxification, nothing can cure me like a quiet house.  Seriously, sometimes I feel like I would pay money for the rejuvenation that in-home alone time brings.  When dear hubby knows I'm due for a break, and sends me away for some non-family time, sometimes I just wish I could do the staying and have the family do the going.  Which is why...I'm so excited for my baby to begin kindergarten in only two days!  (!!!!!!)  After the silence, I'm so much happier to tackle my responsibilities as a mother.

5.  I love the sounds of romance.

Which sounds are those?  No, not the sounds of kissing or the sounds of being on a romantic date in a fancy restaurant, although yes I do enjoy those, but I'm referring to the sounds that come from the talented composers of love songs.  I'm including love songs we hear on the radio, love songs that I hear sung on the stage, and especially love songs that come from my favorite romantic chick flick movie soundtracks.  There are certain songs that can melt me into a large puddle of romantic goo on the floor.  Possibly the #1 song at top of my romantic sounds list is played during a Twilight movie, but it was composed long before the movie...the song is "Flightless Bird," by Iron and Wine.  Play that song for me and my eyes turn into puppy dog eyes, or doe eyes, or eyes with oodles of smiling stars and hearts floating right out of them.  I think I'll go listen to that song right now, I'm due for a fix.

As for other miscellaneous relaxing and/or important sounds that I love, I want to include:

*The sound of the words "I love you," spoken by anyone, anytime.

*Sounds of "old fashioned" toys from my childhood.

*The sound of my husband's voice because he just came home.

*The sound of my husband's voice--in its British accent form--because he's reading to the children.

*The sound of a talented and accomplished singer (who likely has had classical training) in a live performance.

*The sounds of my family cleaning, doing their chores, practicing an instrument, or getting along and speaking to each other with loving kindness--without any coaxing on my part!

*The sounds of Christmas--jingling bells, all of my Christmas movies, people singing carols... etc.

*The sounds of the entire Yanni album, "In My Time." 

*The sound of the train running on the tracks at the end of our street.  I think it's so cool that we can still use such "ancient" inventions as trains as one of our most effective means of transport.

*The sound of new babies laughing.  The sound of anyone laughing.

 

I hope your day today is full of your favorite sounds!

Please tell me, what sounds do you love most?