I can hear the clock ticking, the boiler firing into action as it heats the radiators and Harry turning the pages of his newspaper, but that is all.
Earlier this morning the house was a cacophony, heaving with all the family noises, shrieks of laughter, little squabbles and noisy games, breakfast sounds while eating in a rush. There were last minute checks .... passports, coach tickets and rummaging in the attic, as Sam and family got ready for their holiday. Debbie, our daughter, up early to say goodbye to them and Dean, her youngest son, managing to come down in time to join in with the farewells. Rick, the eleven year old, somehow managing to sleep through it all!
Now, they, too, have gone back to their own town, miles away and Harry & I are in complete silence!
Family reunions are a blessing which we enjoy, but how is it that when we are all together, the bustle of family life can seem too much? We are sometimes longing for peace, time, space and a quiet place to do a crossword puzzle or read a book without interruption.
Now, the silence does not seem perfect at all! It engulfs us in a threatening, lonely, even boring way.
Within a few days, Harry and I shall be quite used to it and by the end of the week, when the Japanese contingency arrives home from their holiday, it will be like a riot going on - a blast, shattering our peace!
Why does life have to be so extreme?
22 comments:
If I suddenly disappear into cyber space for a week, I shall be back! It just means that my computer is jammed or something & I have no help! I will try & keep the home fires burning!
Silence? I'll just go and get a dictionary...
It always used to be "feast or famine" when we saw family, we waited a long time, and then had to stay a few nights to make the journey worthwhile. It's good to be able to 'pop in' for a short time instead. Enjoy the peace while it lasts!
Know what you mean - either our house is full to bursting or very, very quiet. Unnerving!
motherofthislot ......... I'm getting used to it now & silence seems more attractive!
gonebacksouth ...... glad you can now pop in to see your parents! That is the ideal situation.
swearingmother ...... you are in a similar situation then? I would like them all to live nearby. No chance of daughter doing that. Sooner or later the boys will not want to come! Tricky age!
I know what you mean about the silence!
And certainly no offence taken with your comment. Every imput into this discussion is welcome and interesting. Thank you!
Thank you for stopping by my blog and posting your words of encouragement. I appreciate you reading my post.
Great post!
Yep, life is yin and yang...
But it does keep us on our toes.
Love,
Suzy
Very poignant and so true- I felt for you with this post!! Personally, I relish peace and quiet and periods of silence; but with a half New York family who don't have an 'off button', I ahve to grab those moments when I can.
I felt so much for my parents-in-law recently; after two weeks with us and their other grandchildren staying, there were tears when we had to leave to travel home across the atlantic. Watching them have to go back in to their house, alone, was hard.
Beautifully put- thnak you!
casdok ....... thanks for dropping by! I shall be visiting you!
suzy ........ thanks for visiting me. I will be dropping back to you soon.
Bellamacha ..... many thanks for your encouragement!
Yes, I normally do appreciate brief periods of quietness. Yesterdays was really extreme though. I hate goodbyes but we are lucky that we have both our children in England now. It was heart rending when they used to go back to Japan! (Son that is & wife & little grand daughters)
I know exactly what you mean!! Been there, done that!
Greetings from Japan! Enjoy the peace while you can - you know it won't last long ;-)
David M .......You've been there too?
Sam .... Bloody Hell! I feel as though I'm being stalked!
Have a good time!
Hi Maggie May, you visited me and I,in turn, visit you and will read some of your older posts as well. I will get to know all about you, I think. You sound interesting.
Hi Irene..... don't know about interesting, but we are an unusual family, I think!
Will get back to you.
What a true observation! I've always wondered why life has to be so extreme. Why can't we just spread the noise and the stress out over several years instead of a few short ones and then silence?
Know just what you mean. I always find I love it when the family love and, after the immediate sadness of parting, I love it when they've gone for a while!. thanks for the award. I am struggling with how to import the last one which is why it is still missing from my blog. No doubt inspiration will strike.
sniz ......glad you dropped by
elizabethm ......... I usually like solitude too. Don't worry about the award! I cannot do anything on my computer without help! Its ok when its all running smoothly but I can't sort anything unusual out! Motherofthis lot helped us out with instructions.
Aye, I have. We once had 15 people (blood relatives) and a pooch under our roof. It was great fun.
A bit of a tight squeeze!
Oh do I know that feeling, sitting just enjoying not just silence, but no movement, no busy traffic in and out of the kitchen bathroom and garden.
I have found I actually like my own company.
I realise why birds have to fly the nest, I also know the feeling having visited to get back to my own space, first thing my husband does is open all the doors and put on some music-loudly.
Maggie thanks for your post
VM
Valleysmam ... You sound as though you are in such an ideal setting! I used to watch the birds, mostly sparrows but they have all disappeared! I liked to watch when I got a quiet moment with a cuppa!
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