I like noise. Sometimes I do my best writing with the television on. I often fall asleep with the TV or radio on. For me, noise can be productive, but there are times when silence is grand. I usually listen to sports talk or new talk radio when I am driving, but recently I decided to drive in silence to various places around town.
Just hearing the noise of cars driving by and other sounds of a busy world is enough to fill my brain and provide me with some solace. It is also a great way to think. Sometimes, you need to get away from the competing voices and noises going into your head, such as the radio and the TV.
We all have a lot going on in our lives. It is tempting to turn on more noise to get away from things we don’t want to deal with – work, school, personal relationships, etc. However, driving in silence allows me to think with some clarity about some of the things I have going on in my life.
Besides thinking about my life, driving in silence allows me take in all the surrounding environment – clouds, trees, neighborhoods – I sometimes don’t pay too much attention to when I have the radio on. Looking at nature and the surrounding environment helps me appreciate life.
So, take some time to drive or sit in silence. Take some time to observe what’s around you and listen to yourself. I think you will find some clarity when you get away from those voices that often distract us.