QUIET!!

     Shhh! Listen! You hear that?! What is it? Answers will vary depending on where you are. Right now I hear the humming of the printer, the coffee pot perking, traffic outside, and the sound of my fingers on the keyboard. If you’re lucky enough to still be on the beach listening to the waves during this Spring Break, I envy you. I’ve had a strong urge to listen this morning, especially since I heard that funny noise my car was making. I reached to turn on the radio and the Lord all but smacked my hand down. "No. Listen." OK? Listen to what?
     That got me to thinking about the sounds I’ve heard the past couple days. The sound of the gravel under my tires as I pulled in the driveway with my window rolled down (which I never do). The sound of kids playing in my yard and at the park where we went walking last night. The sound of my husband and son in conversation. The dishwasher, the washing machine. The birds chirping at me through my open windows to wake up in the mornings. (Except this morning, there was the sound of a grinder/wood chipper or something out there, which turned out to be a blessing because I had overslept and that thing kept growling at me instead of politely chirping.) The sound of music playing and the fan blowing as I got ready for work.
     I rode all the way to work this morning without the radio on. I had to constantly fight the urge to push buttons. (Hello, my name is Stacie, and I’m a channel surfer and climate control adjuster.)  I didn’t hear waves crashing or birds chirping or all those wonderful sounds we dream of. I heard my tires humming on the roadway; horns blowing; lawn mowers. The sounds of springtime. The sounds of activity. The sounds of....well....life. Not all the sounds are comforting (like that grinder/wood chipper), but all are necessary. And I realize how truly blessed I am. Healthy kids who can play outside. A family who loves each other. A home with all the workings. A vehicle to drive. A job to go to.
     Sigh....speaking of jobs....guess I should answer that ringing phone. Another blessing? I think so.