Silence

The first song that popped into my head when I began thinking about the noises in my pre-2011 world was Simon and Garfunkle's "Sound of Silence." I think I was in junior high school the first time I heard it (probably on a cassette tape...remember those) and I remember thinking the song would be in my cadence for some time. Indeed, it has.

Yesterday, the first day of a new year, was quiet for me. Besides a short stint listening to the SU Orangemen playing ball against Notre Dame, the only noise in my house was traffic on 481, my fingers tapping across a keyboard, rain falling outside, and Baby's occasional imitations of my mother who taught her how to snore.

Otherwise, it was a day of complete silence - a necessary to put together this monumental piece of writing I've taken on. I could hear the hum of my refrigerator, and at one point I listened to green beans being steamed on the stove. I also listened to an Intelligence Squared debate on NPR, but other than that, the ears had a peaceful time.

For some of you, memories of Simon and Garfunkle are more vivid. For me, they are a figment of a folk-time that once was. I listen to them, always, with pleasure. Perhaps their music will provide background music for your new week.