Looking for a Little Silence, Calm, and Bliss

What do you hear?

Sounds
abound.
at dawn,
birds sing,
wings flap,
leaves crunch,
wind swirls
seeming
silent—
never.

I went out before the sun peeked over the horizon, and the sky still held the dark of night. The birds had not yet begun their morning call-and-response. At first, all seemed quiet, but then I heard my feet against the pavement, a herd of deer rustling in the grass, then the faint sound of a car engine further down the road.

Is there ever a moment without any sound?

Sounds bombard us every day: those around us and in our heads. The noise of the everyday world interrupts, makes us anxious, and raises fear. 

I’ve heard that we can overcome the cacophony with a deep breath, stopping long enough to wonder, to gaze in awe at stars twinkling wildly in the darkness, or taking a moment to simply be—silent.

Silence prepares our souls to see the world in full color—an extravaganza of life and bliss.

I plan to spend a few days in the realm of quietness near the coast where salt air and sunshine work their magic. Wherever you are this week, I hope you find a moment, a breath, a slice of silence. Here’s where you will find me:

Silent Walks Upon the Sand

Silent walks upon the sand
interrupted only by the flutter
of sea gulls meeting on the shore.
I wonder why they gather
in such strange little groups.

They land together and
then take off upon hearing
some familiar signal that is
all but lost to me.

My presence doesn’t seem
to bother their ritual.
They don’t seem to mind at
all that I’ve come
an uninvited guest.

Actually, I’m rather relieved to
just walk by and
continue without any
obligation or ceremony.

The gulls take flight. I am
left alone to walk, to wander,
to once again treasure the
silence of the sea.

A Remembrance for Silence

A remembrance, and a calling, to each of us to take time for silence despite the noise and confusion. My gratitude to Anne Morrow Lindbergh whose words have embraced and encouraged stalwart courage since I first read them over 30 years ago.

“I find there is a quality to being alone that is incredibly precious.
Life rushes back into the void, richer, more vivid, fuller than before.”
Anne Morrow Lindburgh, Gift from the Sea

The Sound of Silence

Curious about this unusual piece? I have a picture book for that: Beautiful Noise: The Music of John Cage by Lisa Jean Rogers, illustrated by Il Sung Na

I always welcome your thoughts, so please leave a comment

Thank you for being here with me, and always—

Be kind. Be brave. Be you.

Photos © Kathryn LeRoy