Monday, February 4, 2008 in , , , ,

Quiet Time


Quiet is the sort of thing that goes largely unappreciated in childhood, much like afternoon naps.  I value my quiet moments in much the same way, and it seems as rare as naps that things fall back and it is just me and stillness.

It is a certain trait of my creative process that I need some amount of controlled chaos around me usually in order to work on some tasks. When working on graphic design or even a writing task I can frequently be found in front of the TV with my computer on my lap, taking in 2 things at once and loving every minute. I must at least have music on to function. Without this extra "noise" I start running around in my own head too much. But then there are the moments when everything stops, and I hear what I’ve been missing all day….the quiet.

I love to just sit and listen to the night. From our house we can hear the nearby trains passing. We live just close enough that it is a lovely, romantic, lonely sound. (doesn’t shake the house thank goodness) During the day the trains are masked by the sound of the highway, which is also close by. But at night the sound carries beautifully. I love to think about the trains traveling through the night, part of the pulse of the city that continues on while we sleep.

We had another sort of quiet the other day in the form of a snow day. 6" got dumped on us overnight, and though St. Louis does get snow periodically, we aren’t too practiced at it. Schools and work were cancelled for the day and the normal hum and bustle of a weekday morning is transformed into powdery white silence. That same snow has also brought us fog tonight (cold snow, warm air), which has made it impossible to see past our own street.  As much as I love city living I also adore the feeling of being alone.

I think too often we forget to notice these little things and reflect. Some days I just want to collapse into bed without thinking at all. But then there are these lovely moments that make me feel whole, connected, alive. It renews me just as much as sleep, and prepares me for the new day ahead. And right now I think tomorrow should be a lovely day.

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