The Tyranny of Sound and the Power of Music

Dealing with internal "noise" has made me acutely aware of sound. The noise on the freeway is deafening, drowning out all other sound. Most radio music grates on me like nails on a chalkboard. I often opt for silence -- as much as I can get. I got a classical guitar CD, and listen to it pretty regularly. It helps. When babies are of a certain age, they feel disturbed by the space around them, so mothers "swaddle" them - or wrap them tightly in cloth - to help them feel secure, protected -- enveloped by a warmth reminiscent of the mother's womb, I guess. My soul feels that return to security -- a feeling of extreme safety surrounds me when I listen to this music, while most other sounds make me feel attacked. Other good sounds: wind; a cat purring; leaves rustling; rain or river or ocean noises; soft white noise - like the humidifier. Sounds that put me on edge: traffic; "bad" white noise like the hum of lights and/or electricity; most modern music; dj's - yes, all of them; commercials - even billboards and business signs seems to be "screaming" out at me, and I hate their noise; kids or teenagers or babies crying (a sound I used to love - in a weird way). There are others, but I guess it's not necessary to form a comprehensive list.

I've never appreciated the introvert's need for times of silence so much before.