The Value of Silence

birds as musical notes in a blue sky in daylight

For the last two days, I have turned off the TV and my streaming services. I haven’t even listened to my favorite music that usually involves jazz, blues, or even cello music. I found one of the members of the duo 2Cellos, Hauser, who is still playing music, mostly romantic and classical. I hope he does “Thunder” again. But he did do some Latin music at his last concert.

I got sidetracked.

I needed to turn off the sound because I wasn’t seeing the world very clearly or hearing it. After the first day, I could hear the birds. I live in an area that is close to the freeway and airport. Both of these make a lot of sound that echoes to my little apartment. I hear the laughter of children on the weekend. And it was warm enough for the adults to pull out the barbecue.

I watched the birds fly with wings spread, swooping and doing maneuvers that have only been mastered by skydivers with wings suits. I still get a thrill watching them. I am not adrenaline filled enough to do it though. But the birds are better than the skydivers if you watch long enough.

I began to notice, under the noise of the fans and AC unit, that I could hear music. First it was a cello playing “Autumn Leaves,” then I heard a male and female singer, his voice deep and dark and hers light and airy sing the same song. Not long after that I heard an orchestra behind them

Another mezzo-soptrano sang a foreign song that I could almost recognize. Then I heard a violin and cello playing. As I went for a walk through the long corridors of the apartment building, I searched for where the music was coming from. Maybe someone was playing a cello or had music playing. I heard old pop music and some hispanic music, but the hallways were mostly silent.

Maybe it was all in my head. I do hear music sometimes there. While I was in the hospital, I heard “Maria, Maria” from Santana. It kept me walking with my back straight. This music, however, came to my ears. It has a distinctly different sound.

I never found the music. When the fans and the AC unit stopped, the concert stopped abruptly.

As an amateur radio opertor, although it has been over ten years since I was involved with the hobby, I know that there is sound and intelligence below the noise floor. You just need a good filter to hear it.

I heard what I heard.

Silence is not so silent.