A Joyful Noise
Which noise irritates you? Barking dogs? Loud music? Kids screaming? I think we can all agree that we are not all agreed on this point. I love to sleep with the sound of falling rain. I don't even mind a thunderstorm. But for those whom thunderstorms frighten, this would be a distraction.
I was surprised many years ago when my son Andrew complained about the jiggling of the pressure canner while he was trying to study. I was oblivious to the sound, but Andrew was, and is to a lesser extent as he ages, ubersensitive to textures, sounds, tastes, and so forth.
Last evening, I found out, for the first time, that my youngest daughter sleeps and studies best with white sound. Due to the hot weather, the discussion turned to the sound of fans. Up until now, she had never heard of the terminology, "white sound", so I was able to educate her on the matter.
This morning, I did a little research on this very topic. I found out that it is controversial. One article I read claimed that white sounds stimulate cortisone production and therefore produce a host of physical symptoms. On the other hand, one can purchase devices to produce white sound. Hmm.... My guess is that what relaxes one, or enables one to focus, stresses another.
Sunday, at church, was a perfect example of this very thing. One of our members had gone to Zambia, Africa. He made a presentation which began with, in his words, joyful music. It may have been joyful to him and to them, but to me, it was just "noise" and I was happy when it stopped.
That brings us to the very definition of noise. According to the World Book Dictionary, noise is a sound that is not musical or pleasant; loud or harsh sound. Definition number two, however, refers to it as any sound: the little noises in the woods at night, the noise of the rain on the roof....
I'm reminded that God loves a joyful noise. This is a comforting thought to those who can't sing; at least that is what one man in my church says.
Right now, we are having a very hot and muggy day. I don't know if the sound of the air conditioner is upping my corisol level, but I know one thing, the alternative, stinking hot weather, would be. I can become very irritable when it is too doggone hot. So, for right now, bring on the white noise!
I was surprised many years ago when my son Andrew complained about the jiggling of the pressure canner while he was trying to study. I was oblivious to the sound, but Andrew was, and is to a lesser extent as he ages, ubersensitive to textures, sounds, tastes, and so forth.
Last evening, I found out, for the first time, that my youngest daughter sleeps and studies best with white sound. Due to the hot weather, the discussion turned to the sound of fans. Up until now, she had never heard of the terminology, "white sound", so I was able to educate her on the matter.
This morning, I did a little research on this very topic. I found out that it is controversial. One article I read claimed that white sounds stimulate cortisone production and therefore produce a host of physical symptoms. On the other hand, one can purchase devices to produce white sound. Hmm.... My guess is that what relaxes one, or enables one to focus, stresses another.
Sunday, at church, was a perfect example of this very thing. One of our members had gone to Zambia, Africa. He made a presentation which began with, in his words, joyful music. It may have been joyful to him and to them, but to me, it was just "noise" and I was happy when it stopped.
That brings us to the very definition of noise. According to the World Book Dictionary, noise is a sound that is not musical or pleasant; loud or harsh sound. Definition number two, however, refers to it as any sound: the little noises in the woods at night, the noise of the rain on the roof....
I'm reminded that God loves a joyful noise. This is a comforting thought to those who can't sing; at least that is what one man in my church says.
Right now, we are having a very hot and muggy day. I don't know if the sound of the air conditioner is upping my corisol level, but I know one thing, the alternative, stinking hot weather, would be. I can become very irritable when it is too doggone hot. So, for right now, bring on the white noise!
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