Noise

I’ve been listening to Kenny Chesney’s new song, Noise.

What truth he speaks, er, sings! ~ We are surrounded by noise: music, news, children, phones, Facebook, online news apps, really, just about anything to keep us from our own thoughts.

As a busy home-schooling mom, with young ones whose voices cry “mom,” several times a minute, who freelances and who longs for silence, that quiet time alone is a hot commodity.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my kids, I love my job and I love being my children’s teacher, but sometimes the yearning for that silence – that uninterrupted time with my own thoughts and alone with God in prayer – is strong.

The other day I took a photography class with Lara Joy Brynildssen Photography at Arlington International Race Track. There was some music playing in the distance, some conversation and some instruction, but also there was time with just my camera and me.

Whether standing at the fence peering through the lens or watching by the gate marveling at the strength of these horses, I enjoyed that time.

My phone was tucked away, I was alone with adults, I had time to just sit and be mesmerized by this creation ~ and to look even more closely through the magnification of my lens.

The very next day, my friend took me to the racetrack again. He and his service dog, Gander, embody the essence of selfless love. To watch them work together is to watch the delicate perfection of balance and selfless concern for one another. Again, no phones, no music, no noise … just quiet observation and inspiration.

It is in those moments of peace that I have time to sort out the events of the day, the week, the months, the years. It gives me the opportunity to reflect on my faults, my missteps, the things I should have said or done. And it helps me see the goodness that surrounds me – the simple acts. It helps me remember the grandmother who sat beside us at brunch who told me our girls were well-behaved. I remember the woman who played with my five-year-old in front of the library making her burst into a fit of giggles. I remember the high school girl who took the time to play with my girls and be a role model to them. None of these people knew just how much of an impression they made on me ~ and served as an example.

There is goodness all around. There is beauty in racehorses, service dogs and people. There is hope … we just need to shut out the noise for a little while, observe and open our eyes to it.