Fun is not noise

About our experience in America

We in India associate fun with noise. Shor-gul na ho .... to kya maza?
Terrible remixes of melodious old songs blare from the speakers of the wedding pandals in front of our apartment in Delhi. To drown out that sound we play our U.Srinivas mandolin even louder. I have the grrr-kadkad-grrr of the mixer in my kitchen while I am making pudina chatni for the idlis, I hold my cell-phone close to my ear and and talk 'clearly' into it, mainly because I can't hear myself talking!!

Cut to Gatlinburg where we had gone for a weekend getaway. We went up a cable car to a mid mountain halt. This is made for tourists. Lots of interesting shops, eat outs, rides and photo-options.

on the streets of gatlinberg

There was this fudge place that gave away bits of fudge for free!There is a neat line of fudge-fans waiting for their chance at the freebie-window. I got a chunk with white and chocolate. While we munched our freebies we gazed upon families going round and round in the ice-skating rink down below. Oops! this young man had a bad fall and went skidding on his back.... Moms with kids in tow made a beeline to the merry-go-round. Our little grandson was fast asleep and so missed that one! We finally saw lots and lots of people. All having great fun...doing what they chose to do. But the place was so silent!

No one was screaming...or talking loudly. No kid was wailing or making a scene. Families were chatting but O so softly.... we dint get to hear tantalising bits of conversation as we passed by. I really wonder how they can say all they have to say without loud whoops and shrill exchanges!

Here I am back in our apartment. Just now a huge truck went past on the road outside. and believe me it made absolutely NO NOISE. This silence can be quite oppressive! Even the flush in the bathroom makes no sound.
this is juss too much!
i think i will try meditation here. the noise in my head does not have to compete with the noise outside!

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