Quiet. - Democratic Underground

dave29

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Fri Dec-19-08 09:27 PM
Original message

Quiet.

Edited on Fri Dec-19-08 09:30 PM by dave29

When I realized, ten years ago now, that I was going to have severe ringing in my ears for the rest of my life, that my career as a composer was most likely over... that my dreams and hopes that seemed so promising were fading before my eyes, I completely flipped my shit. When the issue evolved into hyperacusis and it became difficult for me to even go out and be with friends, I spiraled into a deep depression.

Since then, in spite of what multiple Dr's tell me, I have learned to value one thing above all else:

quiet.

I spend a lot of time meditating and doing my best to maintain a level of calm that gets me through the days. There is always that ringing that I hear, though. It is a high pitched mother****** that does it's best to remain relevant.

It truly sucks, and I would kick it's ass were it tangible. But we get along now, because we have to if we want to survive.

I know there are probably countless DU'ers with similar issues that make them want to look at the heavens and say.... "Really? ... Come on"

We all have our shit.

So, why am I bringing this up now?

Because I think now is a time for quiet. There is a lot of screaming, yelling and moaning about this and that. None of it is as trivial as "this and that," but it begins to seem that way when people completely flip their shit.

For me reading DU over the last few days is similar to what it's like to be in a crowded restaurant on any given day. Nothing but scraping silverware, glasses clinking, and a cacophony of voices filling the air -- making a mindless discordant symphony.

We all have reasons to be angry. These last eight years were like twenty years for me.

But I think in this time of transition it's important that we take some time for quiet and sober reflection. We need to remember just where we are.

We are all here together on this little planet, our common ground. We can scream about how things are not fair, about how this person should be seen with that person or not, about who is a bigot, who is treated with the mostest contempt or who believes one's associations can turn them into pedophiles, homophobes or both.

Or, we can take a step back and realize where the fuck we are.

Our planet is melting.

Our economy, and the rest of the world's economy is collapsing. People, left and right, are screwed. Look around you the next time you are in a crowd. Chances are a good number of those faces belong to screwed people. It sounds funny, but it's the sad truth. We've fought over trivial shit for so long that the mountain we need to climb just to maintain some modicum of a decent living -- has grown almost unclimbable.

This is where we are.

My brother just lost his job. My wife will probably lose hers. Who knows how safe mine is.

How many of you are unemployed? I was, for 9 months after my job of nine years was outsourced.

We all need better healthcare. Period. We need better governance and better quality of life. We need equality of life as well, or the chance for it, absolutely.

We will not get any of those things yelling and screaming at each other. If Obama has had one quality that stood out for me above all others, it is his willingness to listen to EVERYONE. His calm promotes calm. His willingness to include promotes inclusion. These are values that transcend all others in my opinion, values that were completely lost on our current leadership. We need calm. We need inclusion. We need both right now.

So I encourage you to take some time to reflect. I do not begrudge any of you your grievances, they are valid. I have valid grievances as well. Life can royally suck.

I know that ringing in my head will never go away, but I've learned to live with it. Like I said, over time, we've become friends. It reminds me of where I am at, and it has taught me the value of quiet.

And quiet is what we need, if only for a moment. If you allow it in, and you savor it, you might come to realize it's value.

You might come to understand that before the beginning of every great symphony, comes that tantalizing moment of quiet, when the conductor raises his baton -- and you know your ears will soon be filled with the beautiful music only a full orchestra can create.