A little over a week ago, I spent an evening, night, and morning camping with a friend on an inlet of the Mississippi River. The bird song and frogs calls were constant and really quite loud. To me it was beautiful!
It was somewhat covered up the sound from the neighboring camper’s air conditioning. At least it seemed that way until the next morning when they turned the AC off and the sense of mechanical quiet was palpable.
I was so pleased to go to sleep serenaded by the frogs calling. There were five species (green, Grey tree, American toads, Bull frogs and cricket frogs). Each frog seemed to have a place in the chorus of nature. When you listened closely, the calls were layered and there were deep ba da rums of the bull frog to the high pitched eee of the toads. Above the stars and planets moved across the sky appearing and disappearing from behind light cloud cover.
It was a perfect night and a much needed escape into nature.
The morning after I came home, I sat on my deck driking my coffee. There was bird song, but in comparison, it was distant and quiet. The difference between locations fascinated me.
A week later, I went to a busy town and decided to have lunch at a café and bookstore. I thought it would be a relaxing break. Instead the restaurant was filled with noise. Dishes clanking, orders being taken, groups chatting, laughter, the reading out of items on the menu. Layers of sound, a music of its own, but one that I found clouded my own thoughts and completely overwhelmed my senses. I ate too fast wanting to be done so I could leave. I also realized that people kept coming. This restaurant is popular and the sound doesn't bother the people who like to eat there.
It struck me how, both places were quite loud with noises and one felt calming and the other nerve racking.
What sounds calm you? What sets you off and distracts you? Do you pay attention to and notice the noises around you?
