When I was a child, I'd often lay in the lush green grass in the shade and stare up at the clouds slipping by.  Playing with flowers and doodle bugs.  Petting my dog. 

As I became a teen, I wanted my music on in my room, even when I studied.  I wanted music playing in my car, every time I hit the road. 

When I became a married adult, we seemed to have music on outside, in our cars, TV or music in the house.  There were children's toys with sounds.  Always a cacophony of sound. 

Somewhere in my thirties, I began to treasure the time at deer camp when nothing was playing, there was just the crackle of the fire and sounds of scurrying animals, the wind in the pines. 

Fast forwarding to these past few years, I find I often ride down the road for long distances or even a whole trip without even turning on the radio.  At home, if I am the only one up, I often read, or fiddle on the computer, work around the house, etc. without ever turning on anything. 

I thank God I live somewhere I can still slip outside and often only hear nature sounds.  Don't get me wrong, I still love my music when I am in the mood for it.  I have TV shows I definitely don't want to miss.  But, I seem to have come full circle in my life, to a point where I can treasure and value quiet just as much.

What about you, do you use a background noise or prefer quiet?  Has your preferences changed at times? 


Barbara