Monday, November 30, 2009

From the Things I never will get used to…..

A visitor from home commented how she was surprised that I would get used to all the noise on the streets. The truth is, I never did and question whether I ever will.

It took me two and a half years to be able to hear my thoughts, while I am outside. I try to shut into the depth and under my skin, only to find the loud voices, road honking and banging. For the last three and a half years I came to the point of appreciation and realized that quietness and stillness can be a luxury.

I understand that it is not easy for ten million people to live in one ‘not-so-big’ city – we get very ‘neighborly’ to each other. It gets so close that from my window I can see neighbor’s bedroom, when reversing the car we enter next door’s yard.

But it is because of the contrast and comparison that I can better appreciate things once very natural and always available.

I am a late night person, though I can enjoy greatly the morning mist and rising sun. When all go to bed, pressure cookers put their whistles off, and finally all the noise says ‘good-bye’ for the night, I like that tranquil moment, of almost ‘nothingness’, where I can hear the wall clock tick, the owl flying over the balcony and the little snore of my sweet baby. Those moments of quiet warm my heart, and I start hearing my thoughts.