Quiet, Please, Week Thirteen in the No Longer New Abnormal

It was a quiet day. Not the reading a book while sipping tea on a rainy-day type of quiet. It was quiet because I wasn’t plugged into a device. The TV was not on. The quiet came from not connecting my phone to my earbuds to listen to a book, a podcast or music. It’s even quiet now as I’m writing this. Lucy, who is asleep next to me isn’t even snoring. She must be enjoying the quiet, too.

It’s rare that I’m not listening or talking when walking. While walking in the rain there were few pedestrians, keeping the sound low even on city streets. Since my days are full of sounds, both cacophonous and melodic, I took note when I realized I had not continued listening to my book. Currently it’s the bold, beautiful Lessons for Survival, written and read by Emily Raboteau. She cares so deeply about our planet and our neglected populations, and her passion is contagious. Nor had I chosen between the two albums I’ve been enjoying, Natalie Douglas’s new “Back to the Garden,” as well as Rhiannon Giddens most recent “You’re the One.” I went to both concerts and listening to their most recent music with their gorgeous voices has been joyful.