Hush, Hush, the Quiet House

I was actually looking for a quote from a poem or literary work.  I'm sure I've seen it somewhere: "Hush, hush, the quiet mouse."  But, alas, when I searched the almighty Google this morning, all I found was a Lil Wayne song and lyrics from the Peter Pan soundtrack (not sure which one).  I'll try Bing and some other search engines later if I have time. 


My point this morning isn't about the quote, though. My point is about the hush.  It's a little after 4 a.m. and I'm the only one moving around in the house.  I was observing (once I had a 1/2 cup of coffee added to my brain cells) that the quiet here in Gloucester is actually the most complete quiet among which I've ever lived.  Even more than the Cape.


Everywhere I've lived, there has always been some kind of random noise that would come through during the night.  Where I grew up in Newport News, I could hear cars on our street at any time of night; and there was a train track at the end of our street which I could hear pretty often. During my first marriage I lived in Hampton in a sprawling neighborhood with a wide range of people and lifestyles, so there was always car noise, barking dogs, etc. Even on Cape Canaveral, there was noise at night, though I have to admit it was much more peaceful than all the other places.  Maybe because the noise there was the Atlantic Ocean and the sound of breezes blowing in the palm and oak trees - and sometimes the (crowing?) of peacocks.  Just so you know, the voice of a peacock is nowhere near as attractive as its lovely plumes.  


I love quiet.  I love it as much as I love music. I can deeply appreciate the lack of blaring, blasting, screaming, blabbering noise makers like the TV, though I am still pretty quick to turn it on as background noise while I'm doing something mindless like housework. But when I want peace, it's either soft and soothing music or just plain, simple quiet.  


And now it's time to refill my coffee and get ready for work.  My advice to the world, take time out for quiet. It does your soul a world of good.