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| Blogs > rm_swallow22us > "If ignorance is truly bliss, |
Sometimes the sounds of Silence can be Deafening
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Sometimes the sounds of Silence can be Deafening Do you know the sounds of silence and is there really such a thing? Most of you don't know that I was mostly raised by my Grandparents,and that I was brought up in the old way working my back to the bone.But my Grandparents taught me many things that they thought were important(and they were right)They taught me to be intolerant of stupidity and ignorance,now let me explain that last sentence,everyone is ignorant of many things no one has total knowledge,but I was taught that people who when given the chance and ability to learn and then choose not to, are stupid and are not to be tolerated,they are simply a hindrance to all of those around them.Now I'm 54 years old and it is the anniversary of the death of my Granddad,this has gotten me thinking of some of the things that he taught me.First of all he taught me to never let some one else do for you that which you can do for yourself,that has always been very helpful.He also taught me how to shoot and never waste a bullet, not to sure if that was such a good thing as when I joined the US army in 1968 they saw what I could do and put me through Sniper training and in the years from the latter part of 1968-to the beginning of 1971 I killed a lot of people that had never harmed me,they simply wanted their own country back.I don't think my Grandfather approved of what I had done but at least he never mentioned it. He also taught me how to listen to the world,and I don't mean cars and radios and such,I mean the real world and nature.I remember one day while were in the bush waiting for a tagged bee to return so that we could establish a bee line to the hive so that we could collect the Queen and her minions and take them home to our to our apiary.As we were sitting on a stump my Granddad asked me what I could hear?,Well I listened and heard nothing and told him as much,I'll never forget the look of disappointment in his eye's, when he asked me"you mean you hear nothing at all?",and I had to admit I heard nothing after all we were alone in the forest what was there to hear? He then put his hand on my shoulder and said you mean you can't hear the wind whispering though the trees,you can't hear the love songs of the crickets and the buzzing of the bee's or the sun pinging off of that rock?You mean you can't hear your Grandmother as she worries about you? He then said my good god boy there's a whole symphony out there playing just for you and you won't open your ears to hear it. Now I was 7 years old at the time and didn't really understand what he was trying to tell me. It was the next year when he sent me out into the bush to find a new hive as we had lost one of ours ,Now just sitting there with my compass and stopwatch waiting for the third bee I had tagged to return so that I could triangulate were the hive was,something strange happened,my ears seemed to open up and what I had thought to be silence was absolutely deafening,all I could hear was the breeze russ ling through the leaves,the sounds of insects going about their business,the birds calling to one another,the sun bouncing off of the leaves and rocks and yes I could hear my Grandmother worrying about me,and I knew that I must get home soon. Later that afternoon I told my Granddad what had happened to me and that now I knew what he had meant,the look of joy on his face cannot be described,he then took my hand and shook it as he would shake the hand of an adult and said welcome this place you will never be alone again,you have finally woken from a long sleep. What sleep I asked?he said the sleep of ignorance he said the music was always playing for you but you chose not to listen,now go tell your Grandmother she has been waiting along time for you to awaken. The thing about all of this is that he was right I have never really been alone since,and for that I say Thank You Grandfather and I miss your wisdom and your gentle manner and I thank you for giving me something that so many others do not have a True Love for all of nature. as always your Grandson Swallow  As always Swallow |
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Babes, you certainly were fortunate to have the grandparents that you did! I would have loved to have been able to meet them! Hugs and kisses, Skye PS Thank you for all that they've taught you, that you've passed on to me!   Blessed Be
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1/19/2007 9:32 pm |
He sure sounds like he was in tune with Nature. If he was in another culture an anthropologist might call him a "shaman." But I think he had it down. Awakened. I will add that we all can learn from those that have gone before. Thank you and your Grandpa for that beautiful story. Keep it handy - lots of people need to hear it.
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Mzhunny,jeff ,Panthiest and the other one thank you very very much. My Grandparents were incredible people and I miss them to no end.they knew much and lived a long life.my grandmother died at age 103 exactly 6 months to the day after my Granddad died at age 104. I think I will start a blog in their honor,what a fucked up place to do it,NoStrings but what the hell I suppose one place is as good as any other right. as always Swallow As always Swallow
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And the other one!?! What am I, chopped liver? Sheesh man, and here I thought you loved me! *shakes head in confusion and walks out the door, back to her home she goes* Blessed Be
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Thanks for dropping by New Year,and yes you are right sometimes the quietest friends are the best.Also I might add My Granddad was a very quiet man I never once heard him raise his voice. As always Swallow
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