The other morning I sat in a waiting area at
LaGuardia airport for almost six hours. My
delay was irritating however not my biggest
problem. Rather it was the endless din of
a pounding soundtrack in the background.
Not only relentless in it's mediocrity - it
was mercilessly intrusive. Suddenly I now
know why so many people wear earphones.
Could it be that they're actually listening to
nothing and simply enjoying the sounds of
silence? Better to appear deaf and dumb than
subject oneself to the Musak din of faded soft
rock has beens. PLEASE STOP THE MUSIC!
I'm not alone. "T" can't shop for more than
ten minutes before losing her mind. That's
because she never loved disco, KISS, nor
Helen Reddy roaring. Thus her inability to
enjoy retail therapy while being pummeled
by blasts from the past. The same applies to
restaurants. Dining to the thump and din of
supposed performers isn't entertaining. Nor
is it appetizing. Therefore most purveyors
of goods and services should be listening
to their customers. Unless they SHUT UP
many may be unwilling to PUT UP with
their surround sound NOISE POLLUTION!
Obviously some of us need to a sound buffer
from reality. That's my only explanation for
those who drive about with their base pumped
up so high that it rattles both my resolve and
windows. I consider myself a music lover but
I rarely pump up the volume. Some are unable
to live sans a soundtrack. They listen to music
24/7/365 on their phones, in their cars, and at
work. One wonders how they function sans an
audio connection with reality? Can they hear
a siren, honk, or screams of warning? Could
living with such a booming buffers actually
put them at risk? SOUND THE ALERT!
It's hard to believe how AWFUL most music is.
Rather than inspire, comfort, or cocoon us such
a din offensively interjects mundane melodies
into our heads and hearts. Leaving no room for
one to enjoy peace and quiet. There are times
when less is more - especially when it comes to
avoiding unnecessarily intrusive sound waves.
Silence is golden. Toning things down enables
us to clear our heads. Little is quite as peaceful
as falling asleep at our family cabin deep in the
Judith Mountains. Far away from it all one only
hears the whispering breeze in the pine trees.
And that is truly MUSIC TO MY EARS!
