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As I get older the longing for silence grows more profound. These old ears are tired of hearing obnoxious, offensive, "music", especially at 3 a.m. Don't these kids ever sleep? I abhor weekends in my neighborhood as the ubiquitous bounce houses sprout from yards, heralding prospects of live musicians that crank up the microphones until at least 2 a.m.

How is It I can raise a child for 22 years and never get a police complaint due to loud music?

As I sit in the school computer lab I am forced to listen to snuffling noses, hacking coughs and loud conversations about parties, dates and a myriad of other babble, none of it concerning school. Meanwhile I struggle to concentrate on a 40 page research paper that is due next week. It is hard enough to learn computers at my age but to be subjected to all this noise makes it so much more difficult. Silence seems like such an unattainable dream in todays modern world.

Now don't get me wrong. I love to hear the sound of a newborn infant of any species. I enjoy my husband of 24 years whispering into my ear, words of love and undying affection. I rejoice at words from my professors such as "A final exam is optional if you are happy with the grade you are currently receiving." I love to listen to the wail of the bagpipes; songs from the 50s and 60s and doves in the trees surrounding my home. There would be a lot of things I would miss if I were to be granted my ultimate wish of becoming completely deaf.

However there are so many sounds I would be able to live without. Sirens; gun shots; fireworks; street-racing cars; foul language TV shows and bill-collectors taped recordings on my answering machine to name a few. I would not miss election year babble by mud-slinging politicos or the depressing news coming from the worlds "hot-spots". And I would certainly welcome silence when it comes to global warming; the state of the economy and the latest crisis du jour, usually manufactured by the media.

I might long for the sound of waves crashing on a deserted beach someday or the dramatic sound of an iceberg calving in the icy waters of Alaska. I would probably miss hearing the word "grandma" from my tiny grand-daughter or "Thank You" from a son who has grown apart since reaching adulthood.

As I am subjected to more of these noises in a lifetime, perhaps I will eventually get my silence. However,I hope I don't have to wait until I experience the silence of the grave to reap those benefits.

Learn more about this author, Shirley Gooding.
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