Sound

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One of my main memories from Church when I was younger was singing the song “Lamb of God.” In Church, this song is always sung at the time where we give the sign of peace by shaking hands, hugging, or even giving a sign of peace to a person who maybe a couple of rows away. This song was a huge part of my life, and for the longest time, I used to run around my house and sing that song while giving peace to each of my stuffed animals. Whenever I hear this song being played it gives me comfort and brings up the memories of me swinging in my backyard singing it, and going to church with my family. This song fills my heart and I feel loved.


Though Anne Rasmussen talks about noises in Women, the Recited Qur'an, and Islamic Music in Indonesia, and about the ranges of loved to hated noises, which can be applied to songs and noises all around you that are picked up by our ears. She talks about how sound pollution affects America much like regular pollution, and how there are measures being taken to reduce such ugly noises. I thought it was very interesting how she talked about sound pollution and how we take measures to reduce these noises. Some of us will put on noise-canceling headphones to drown out noises that are “ugly”. These ugly noises can differ from one person to another like some people can like those ASMR videos in which people eat, however, I cannot stand that, but rather love the sound of people typing on keyboards. Some more sounds that I love and could listen to or ages are the sounds of the wood crackling, or the sound of the rock skipping on the surface of still water.





I find myself uncomfortable with silence in certain situations. Being in quarantine I will have to listen to music in the background or like the sound of a waterfall to distract me from the silence. I feel as though I am so used to loud voices or loud music, that when it comes time to sleep and the energy and noises come winding down there is a discomfort in the silence. I think it’s important to look at sound and think that silence is also included in this. And the symbolic meanings as to the silence whether it be in religious aspects or even parenting.

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