silence is golden...

why is it that you never truly appreciate silence until you have kids? at least this was the case for me.

i used to loathe silence...it made me uncomfortable and nervous...i remember when as a worship team at church, we did a good friday service, and there was a 5 minute period of silence for personal reflection...man did it ever feel like 5 years to me...when i used to talk to God or reflect upon something, i would play music...when i used to study or read a book for fun, the tv or radio would HAVE to be on for me to concentrate...seriously...my mind wanders i think if there isnt enough to keep it busy!

but since having kids, and more importantly, having a plethora of kids toys that light up, make noise, play music, talk, and rattle...sometimes all at once...not to mention a toddler that is a huge talker (really, he is, just come to our house...he's not that way in public so much, but he never shuts up at home!), and a baby who cries when she doesnt have someone paying attention to her, but otherwise is so happy that she coos...loudly!...i have found a deep appreciation for silence...i am no longer uncomfortable just hearing the noise in my head, or the creaks of the house settling at night as i play my DS or read...i actually feel relaxed instead of my usual tense self when everything is shut down for the night. i feel clearheaded usually (unless its 2 am and i have been playing pogo too long!), and sometimes more refreshed from that short bit of time to myself than i do after a full nights sleep. (granted, i dont know how much my hypersomnia plays into that)

anyways...to me...silence is now golden