“Calm, quiet, gentle, peaceful…” These are the words that I used to coach my children when they were very little. It’s ok to be excited, but rarely is the extremely radical contest of audible friction something the general public is able to handle. Yet, that reality is common with toddlers.
Noise is inevitable. It’s everywhere. Right now as I type, the pending storm is causing my too-long bush to rake against my study window in kind with old horror movies. And noise is useful at times. For years I have used my saxophones, air horns, and my giant matraca to help wake my children. Once I mounted an iron bell downstairs for calling the kids to task during the day. As home-based educators, it’s always an issue with a large house and spread-out students. The bell did not last long and the noises of these other devices were not welcome, but they were useful.
Sometimes noise is not useful. For instance, for the sake of sleep, white noise is needed to prevent me from hearing the fairies prance around in my dreams. My bride, however, is irritated by the noise. So, finding that quiet setting just for my side is often difficult. The constant noise of machine fans, cars, trucks, and buses is nauseating at times. As a genX prince, I don’t like loud music, loud restaurants, or loud voices. Mainly because we spent our time in front of main stacks at concerts, slept with our headphones on at full blast, and screamed until we couldn’t talk at sporting events. Now, we have hearing loss and any noise drowns out the essential part of our hearing.
Enough about noise. Let’s talk about fun.
The simple reality is that when noise happens it provokes a feeling. Sometimes fear, like the night before when our cat, Peter, opens our door and runs in at 3 AM. Other times, hope, like a siren in the background during a fire. Noise can also illicit anticipation and happiness, imagination, or irritation. I think the term “noise” has become pejorative, but it doesn’t have to be. Just like little arguments and family discord over trivial things, noise can be a sign of life. It can be fun.
For example, no one really wants to be awakened in the morning and the bugle cry “get up!” or “you’re gonna be late” doesn’t bode well for most people. But, our perception of what we hear will determine if our hearing is noise or fun. I remember as a child two distinct sounds in the neighborhood. In the summer the gentle tinkling of the ice cream truck was a sound that gave us thrills! And, likewise, the whirring of the mosquito sprayer truck was a time when we would pretend we were in action movies as we rode our bikes through the mist in makebelieve. Children’s toys are often a source of pain, especially when a family member buys the loudest one on the market or a good friend brings in boxes of whistles and maracas. But, that pain for the adults is surely joy for the kids.
So, my point. I sit here in my study most days in complete silence. My kids are all grown but one, and she’s 9 going on 49, keeps to herself and our home is very quiet. In this quiet, I miss the nuisance of the noise of my children being happy. I miss the laughter of little ones. Now, don’t get me wrong, the new noise of the day is just a blessing, but I do notice the silence. Thinking through this I am reminded of good days when I would sometimes get annoyed at the noise.
When children and others around us are noisy, it means they are alive. It shows that living is interacting in the physical world, hearing and perceiving. The noise of people reminds us of the reality of community and togetherness and that we belong to each other. It is proven that laughter, playing, sharing, talking, and enjoying ‘noisy’ activities in person create a better mindset and physiologically induce happiness. The reality of FUN NOISE is the reality of TRUE INTIMACY. This does not exist outside of a real physical connection. As you read this story, you are not living with me or hearing my thoughts.
So, we need to make more noise as people. We need to be alive and joyful. As the Scripture says, “Make a joyful noise!” This cannot be done in silence. It cannot be done alone. It is important to have the perspective of what being alive is all about and avoid the strange norm of isolation and distraction.
Just a random thought.
What are some sounds and experiences of sounds that have stuck with you? What do you love to hear? What do you miss?