Phone buzzing. Kids screaming, laughing. Dishwasher humming. TV pounding. Neighbor’s dog barking. Ceiling fan rustling. Fingers tapping.

Ideas swirling. An internal crescendo. Inaudible to others.

Telephones put away. Children to bed. Dishes washed. TV turned off. Neighbor’s dog now calm. Ceiling fan adjusted. Fingers relaxed.

Attention to the outside. Now attention to the inside. Concerted effort to quiet the noise, to be still, to listen to only the silence.

Silence. Just silence. Lovely.