Silence

Silence.

It feeds the soul in more ways than you would expect.

The restaurant that I grew up in made noise nonstop.
The clanking of the wok
the ringing of the phone
the rustling from the receipts
the chopping from the knives
the yelling of my Chinese Dialect (Fuzhounese) from my parents

All these noises became a masterpiece I would like to call: "Chinese Restaurant"
Wonderfully conducted by my parents
I've come to appreciate this composition with its wonderful additions coming from the crowd, or better known as the customers.
Although as a child, I tried blocked those sounds off when I work, it comes back to me. I can still hear the noises that my parent's restaurant would make.

It has also made me appreciate silence. I empty my mind, concentrate on my breathe, and let silence envelope me and my entirety. Silence lets me ponder, analyze, explore, wonder, reflect, learn
So maybe silence isn't so bad.
Although it may not have been an extremely loud part of my life. I still notice it.
It's soft
It's subtle
That's the beauty of it.
I've come to appreciate it as I sit on this desk typing away. Because it has an effect on me me that no medicine could possibly accomplish

It's soothing
It's healing
It's calming

It's all that I want from a cup of tea and so much more.

Silence, I appreciate and am grateful that you've impacted me so.



extension: (Alternative title: the effect of sound)

Silence lets me be alone
yet, sound is an agent of energy, liveliness, people, warm bodies, living organisms, smiles, joy
I've come to appreciate the masterpiece because it's what makes me distinct from non-restaurant kids
yet similar to my fellow restaurant compatriots, each with their own arrangement of restaurant sounds.
In amidst of all those sounds, I feel at home.
Its surprisingly comforting.
Who knew that I would one day appreciate the sound of my parent's restaurant that I tried so hard to drown out as a child?

- Su