Quiet


I take the subway to and from work.

Last week in the subway I noticed a guy sitting in a two-seater.

The seat next to him was open.

I could have sat down, but I’ve been sitting all day, and so for health reasons I'll stand for the better part of the trip.

The guy pulled out his smartphone and started listening to a music video.

Without headphones.

The music wasn’t that loud, but it was loud enough that I could tell he was listening to a rap song.

I shifted my gaze and looked up to my left at the poster on the wall.

The poster was reminding subway riders to wear headphones if they are listening to music on their smartphones. 

I thought it was ironic that I noticed the poster as I don’t have a smartphone. On the other hand, for the person who it was meant for, he hadn’t noticed the poster (which was inches away) and he was playing music on his smartphone without headphones.

I looked around in the subway car. 

No one else was looking at the poster nor the seated man.

And people missed the irony of the situation.

You can't control the level of noise in the subway.

But you can choose quiet time for yourself.

When I’m writing a LinkedIn post, I like the quiet time to reflect and gather my thoughts.

When I’m walking in the streets of my neighbourhood, it’s a quiet time to notice nature.   

When I’m eating a meal with friends or family, there may be pockets of quiet time, and in those moments I savour the experience of the food and being in the company of loved ones.   


Also Published on LinkedIn on:  May 6, 2017
Image Credit: Pixabay

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