Everyday we are bombarded with sounds. Alarms, phone calls, notification pings, sirens, music and yelling. In order to counter the cacophony of the world, we do meditation, yoga and hikes in the woods. We wear earplugs and listen to our favorite music and keep the unwanted world away from our ears.
I have never been comfortable in big groups or at large parties. Somehow, there was too much noise, too many people, too many feelings swirling around and they usually landed on me. I believe that I am an empath. I suck up the feelings in a room like a sponge to water. It has always been this way and I’ve never found a way to control it except to spend time alone.
Working in retail puts me in contact with people all the time. People with questions, people with problems, people who are just naturally friendly and want to talk. I figure I spend half of my day talking on the phone or to someone in person. It is an odd kind of social interaction, not friendship but friendly–a mutually beneficial relationship for both parties. By the end of the day, the tank is empty. The need for quiet grows louder.
Luckily, I live on a fairly quiet street. It can be noisy at times when there are parties in the backyard or people come to fetch their cars after a night at a downtown bar but more often it is the birds that constitute the majority of the sound waves in the air. It is lovely to wake up at 3 in the morning and hear the stillness.
Geocaching is another way I recharge my quietness. It isn’t always in the country or the woods but the focus of the search quiets my mind and smooths away the noise of the rest of my life. A day spent outside, in a beautiful setting is always a day well spent.
I relish my quiet time, it is an important part of self care, at least for me. In this world of blustery people and politicians, it is more important than ever to find a quiet place and be grateful for the loveliness in your life. Recharge your quiet battery, it will come in handy when you most need it.
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