A Small Note...

This is a reply to a fellow blogger. I thought it fairly well stated, though my sources (*wink wink* Brian...) give it a weightier praise. Mr. Ninja Guy (as I so lovingly nicknamed you), feel free to berate me in the comments after this post. I pleasantly await your rebuttal. =)

Dear Mr. Ninja Guy,

I must pay homage. But my response pertains greatly to your previous entry from Fri., Dec. 24th. As I read along - joining in your annoyance with the inconsiderate fiends who dare to call themselves "cell-phone spot-welders" - I could not help strongly disagreeing with your outlook on society and noise. Are you implying that enjoying a quiet moment to the beat of a darn good song is merely a ruse for avoiding an introspective moment? Have you never listened to an inspired piece only to find yourself knowing yourself better afterwards? Silent contemplation soothes your soul; can you speak for the rest of humanity?

This brings me to my second thought. You withdraw from situations that require others to speak over your inner voice. You desert those who take time to listen to that voice once they offer to let you listen to theirs. By resorting to silence as your only sanctuary, you have begun to cut yourself away from the world, from the reality in which you can't help but exist. As John Donne said in his Meditation XVII, "No man is an Island." Your life touches others by its existence. Others will touch you if you let them; refuse them and you resign yourself to nothing but silence. Do you really want that? Do you really hope to continue through life without the companionship of someone who can hear your inner soul over the white noise you create to protect it?

Everyone's bell tolls; everyone reaches an end. How will your bell sound? I hope it blows out a few eardrums. Less cell phones.