Thought for the Day (August 27)

Subject: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:40 AM

"Too many things crowd in on us; too many images press in upon our souls. There is no more silent peace in the soul; only momentary lapses from the noise. Even more confusing to us is the fact that even the images that should bring us peace are being used to remind us of the lack of peace around us, and they are deployed to provoke us into buying deadening substitutes for the silence that will not come; they jostle for position among all the rest of the demanding images clamouring for attention. Silence is gone: what remains is abashed muteness and empty anxiety. Silence is no more than a "structural fault" in the everlasting flow of noise."
Max Picard, the World of Silence.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: MMario
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:47 AM

ACK! Frightening thought! PLEASE, say it isn't so!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: katlaughing
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:48 AM

...children need time to be let alone; to sit under a tree and daydream; learn to know themselves in the solitude of imaginary play amongst the backdrop of nature or a quiet spot in the home. May 2 editorial, katlaughing

Adults need this, too!

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 01:57 PM

.....but a gentle and steady snowfall of a few inches goes a long way to muffle the cacophony of the city. It may be a "deadening substitute" but it at least provides some modicum of respite and offers a prospective glimmer of hope that the chaos can subside momentarily.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 05:17 PM

There is an interesting book I can't remember the title of about a man who goes blind in his 30s, and he talks about being out in different weathers. For instance, when it rains, one thing that happens is that the world takes shape, because of the echoes off the buildings and trees, and so on. He says that new snowfalls are deadly because they muffle all the sounds, and they are treacherous for the blind. I love snowfalls in the city, and wasn't trying to wreck your thought, Neil, but it reminded me of that soundlessness.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 06:08 PM

...understandable, Peter T....being a sighted person allows me/us the luxury of revelling in the muffled sounds that a blanket of snow affords - I don't doubt my perception and resultant appreciation of those sounds would change radically if I/we were to lose my eyes. Nevertheless, thank God for winter.

Anticipating winter's brief respite... Neil(who is for some strange reason also reminded of and whistling the tune Come in, she said, I'll give you, shelter from the storm....

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Aug 99 - 08:20 PM

So as winter approaches the marsh, does the heron send the myopic Canada Goose on ahead?............And when a blizzard sweeps the plains and the Canada Goose ices up and goes down in a cornfield, does the heron mourn the loss?..............Does he then meet a scroungy, aging, red-headed woodpecker and become close friends in a different marsh?

Just curious.........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Peter T.
Date: 28 Aug 99 - 11:12 AM

All I know is that one of the great anti-male moments in Mother Nature is the fact that in early April, when it is still cold up here, the redwing blackbirds begin to arrive to stake out their territory. These are the guys!! The women stay in Florida for another two months, and then decide to come up and see how things are getting on. And I don't even want to contemplate the male penguin's life....
Yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Thought for the Day (August 27)
From: Pelrad
Date: 28 Aug 99 - 12:34 PM

Hey, Peter, I think we lost 'Spaw back in that salt marsh. He's still in the thrall of the Heron. :-)