It’s quiet right now. Sure, I can hear the air conditioner and my fingers tapping away on the keyboard, but for the world I live in, it is very quiet.
It wasn’t always like this…
Bring the Noise
I grew up in a world of background noise. A stereo was always on — including my own stereo, which was on even while I slept. Televisions were left on news stations or other things to the point the intensity of the volume increased to a roaring norm. (To this day, I find the sound of television in the background one of the most annoying noises on the planet.)
There was the sound of others: clanking in the kitchen, the thud of opening and closing doors, and heavy footsteps. Phones ringing; people talking.
Enjoy the Silence
There’s no real background noise in my life anymore. The TV is only on when my wife and I watch it, and we really don’t watch it much. As much as we love music, it’s not background noise. If my wife and I listen to music, it’s almost always with headphones. It’s only an audible thing for all when cleaning, when my wife does art, or when we deliberately sit and listen to something.
We move around the apartment quietly, conscious there is another person almost always in earshot who may be doing something requiring the concentration that comes with silence.
A New Kind of Noise
Technology is great, but with it comes a new kind of noise. While my smart phone is always silenced and push notifications turned off, if you text me, my phone lights up and I’m likely to look if I’m in the room with it. Just like that, I’m distracted.
A sweep of email or social media sites and I’m left with a to-do list in the back of my mind. (“Must get back to them and them and them…”) Sometimes I get an actual phone call, which isn’t new noise, but there comes with it an expectation from those who allow a parade of interruptions into their lives that people pick up at all times.
For many, there’s no excuse to not reach someone almost immediately.
Why I Like Silence
I write best when things are silent. If I listen to music, it’s usually something soft, meant to block out background noise. If I’m up early, there’s not even music.
But it’s not all about writing..
.
I like silence because it soothes me and leaves my mind open only to one thing at a time…if anything at all. When I speak of silence, sometimes I mean genuine silence; other times, it’s the background noise of a hike. I like the quiet of canoe paddles moving a canoe through water. I like the quiet sounds of distant thunder. Rain is always good; soothing, even.
Why I Don’t Like Noise
The sound of news anchors and pundits telling me to be angry about something goes much deeper than the sound in my ears. With the noise comes a tension that can stick with a person throughout the day. Maybe it’s a story that gets them to check their phone frequently to see what’s developed; maybe it’s something that makes them talk with others to see if they are just as mad about the story…and if not, why not?!
It’s the kind of noise that robs a person of the most important kind of silence: silence of the mind. It is from that kind of silence that great work begins. Read the writing of people who allow themselves to be constantly interrupted compared to those who embrace silence and it’s often clear the effect a quiet mind has on great works.
I don’t know if I will ever write a great work, but I know my odds are better if I write free from distraction and away from a loud and busy world around me.
I don’t mind the distractions, and I always have dog noise to contend with… which is why I go write when the world is asleep. Less chance of me actually feeling like I need to interact with anyone.
Phone calls… yeah, I pretty much answer all of them, but that’s my OCD convincing me there must be an emergency (I get so few — most people just text).
I definitely prefer writing at times there are no distractions. Late at night, or early morning. Then, during the day…clean up, edits, blogs…things like that. If there’s an interruption, there, I can usually get right back to things.
If the person is in my contacts and calls, I usually pick up if I see the call. Since my phone is always silenced, I don’t hear anything come through, but it’s usually with me. If it’s in my pocket while driving, I’ll leave it alone — I don’t look at my phone while driving. But if it’s immediate family or a handful of friends, I will pick up. Just not while writing.