Sounds of the Seasons

Have you ever heard the sound of a bell buoy on a foggy night ? Both haunting and comforting at the same time. Or the sound of  rope slapping the mast of a sailboat at anchor. The squawk of a gull in flight circling, circling while looking for food. The slamming of a screen door and the clanking of a window weight. Whip-or-Wills in the darkness of a summer night.The creaking of a wooden boat at anchor in the bay and the screech of a far off owl. These are the sounds of my childhood. Sounds ingrained in my soul.We all have these sounds and usually we are not aware of them. But there are times when they creep into our consciousness and bring emotion with them. Sometimes sad, sometimes happy and sometimes something in between.
Lying awake in the stillness of a summer night I could hear the water pump in the basement come on, in the cold of winter it was the furnace with it's dull roar. As the water heated and ran through the pipes they cracked and popped as they expanded. Occasionally the release of steam created a little whistle. Remember the sound of the record when the needle reached the end ? Over and over, a scratching sound until the arm was lifted. That was a hollow sound and somehow melancholy. Ever listen to a squirrel running on the roof ? Or listen to the tapping of the woodpecker ? How about the crunch of snow beneath your feet on a crisp morning.
All these sounds are recorded. All these sounds that I hear in my mind. What a gift. Each sound can carry me back in time. And at Christmas I have a tradition of listening to the Christmas tree. My Mom told me about this and she always does it too. You just pick a night, any night when the tree is standing, and sit in silence. No television,radio or anything, just quiet. Sit and look closely at the Christmas tree and listen. It will speak to you. It will speak to your heart, if you but listen. The true sound of the season will be revealed. It is not jingle bells and all the other fanfare. Think " Silent Night " and you get the message.
Each moment and season in our lives is accompanied by a soundtrack. How aware are you of its' content ? As the years go by I have become increasingly aware. I am blessed to say my hearing has remained pretty sharp and for that I am grateful. Many my age begin to miss a few things. There are those that have lost their ability to hear or sadly never had it. I can not imagine a world without sound. Isn't it strange that the sound I enjoy the most, is no sound at all ? It is the message of the Christmas tree. I hope I never lose the ability to hear all the other wonderful sounds in this world but I will always have that one to hold on to.