Sitting in silence is a huge part of my existence and really the only thing that keeps me from putting a gun barrel in my mouth. Li Po – and I think I shared this in our workshop together – writes:
The birds have vanished into the sky,
and now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains.
I love that simple poem so much. For me, silence is more about me not inflicting my noise upon the world, not the lack of sound. Because when I am inflicting my noise, I am not paying attention, and paying attention is how we connect, how we improve, how we recognize the magnificence of all the relatives with whom we share the world and act on their – our – behalf.
Sperm whale oil was used in transmission fluid until the Endangered Species Act stopped the practice. American automakers blamed their crap transmissions on the whaling ban after they had to stop using it.
Hannah, I so enjoy your thoughts - the way they move along. Yesterday I went for my usual suburban walk - I enjoy seeing and observing our ordinary lives, the predictable nature of suburbia. I see and I think, I observe and I think. I need to listen more!
I love this.
Sitting in silence is a huge part of my existence and really the only thing that keeps me from putting a gun barrel in my mouth. Li Po – and I think I shared this in our workshop together – writes:
The birds have vanished into the sky,
and now the last cloud drains away.
We sit together, the mountain and me,
until only the mountain remains.
I love that simple poem so much. For me, silence is more about me not inflicting my noise upon the world, not the lack of sound. Because when I am inflicting my noise, I am not paying attention, and paying attention is how we connect, how we improve, how we recognize the magnificence of all the relatives with whom we share the world and act on their – our – behalf.
Or something. Fuck do I know?
What a lovely read. And listen.
Sperm whale oil was used in transmission fluid until the Endangered Species Act stopped the practice. American automakers blamed their crap transmissions on the whaling ban after they had to stop using it.
This was lovely. And I’m pretty sure we had one of those 1970s flimsy vinyl whale records— I think they came in a National Geographic!
Glad you're enjoying "Becoming Wild", don't stop there, all Safina's books are wonderful.
Hope you get to read the other one of Mr. La Tray's recommendation "Beyond Words" it's a gem too.
Anyone tells you "You're anthropomorphizing" tell them to piss up a rope!
Beautiful work, Hannah, thanks for the read.
Gorgeous writing, Hannah. And full of truth.
Thank you,
ann
Hannah, I so enjoy your thoughts - the way they move along. Yesterday I went for my usual suburban walk - I enjoy seeing and observing our ordinary lives, the predictable nature of suburbia. I see and I think, I observe and I think. I need to listen more!
all this, only because we have ears.
what might be going on, all around us, that we have no organs for perceiving?