The Sounds of Silence and .... Sirens

If you are outdoors on any given spring/summer/fall weekend day in suburbia the first sound that will probably come to your ears will be the buzzing of small gas engines attached to some kind of lawn mower, tractor, or edger.  Dads, moms, daughters, sons on tractors, push mowers and other devices of grass mono-culture.  You'll probably find me somewhere out there with the crowd.
  

Night time in suburbia sounds like..... actually not much.  Its quiet and, even on temperate weather day when the windows are open, still very quiet.  Barking dogs are brought inside or quieted by their nature or their owners.  Occasionally, you will hear music and laughter from a backyard or pool party, but by 10 or 11, all is done and quiet.

Sirens are rare and cause for consideration that it could be someone you know.  Trucks are the trash trucks, landscaper trucks and a few UPS/Fed-Ex vans that come and go early and aren't heard from again.  Buses are not in the neighborhoods and just not heard when they go by on the main roads outside the development.  

When the temperature climbs windows and shades close and you can add the continual hum of outside air conditioner units.  And not much more.  The number of neighbors outside drops to the same low as seen on very cold winter day.  Once again, the quiet reigns and, at times, can be stifling in the lack of personal connection inherent in it.

But, here's the thing - I grew up in the city for most of my childhood.  And travel to cities on business as an adult.  Night time in the city is different.  

Day time in the city offers car horns, trucks and buses.  Sirens from police  and fire are routinely heard.  Trash service is usually a municipal service and runs a larger part of the day. At night, these sounds continue and, unfortunately, are, in some neighborhoods punctuated by sounds of gunfire or other signs of someone in peril.  

On hot nights, more folks are outside and you can routinely hear kids outside playing day and night once you get off the main streets and into the neighborhoods.  In the summer block parties and outdoor BBQs connect neighbors and families.  Apartment buildings lead to hallway encounters while getting the mail from the hallway box.

Even in the city, though, it is an effort to connect.  Its easier to keep your head down and do what you need to do.  Don't make eye contact - don't talk unless you need to.    And that's exactly like in the suburbs (except maybe at the entrance to a WaWa - see my prior blog entry).

The challenge in both neighborhoods - suburban or city, is for us to stay connected to our neighbors.  Friends we want as friends, others we want just as acquaintances.  Whichever category they fall in, let them know that we are all together in support of each other, whether its noisy or quiet.    Reach out to one another.  Know who your neighbors are.  Fight the barriers offered by the noise or the quiet so that we all know we are connected in the light of day or dark of night.