Music and silence—how I detest them both! How thankful we should be that ever since our Father entered Hell—though longer ago than humans, reckoning in light years, could express—no square inch of infernal space and no moment of infernal time has been surrendered to either of those abominable forces, but all has been occupied by Noise—Noise, the grand dynamism, the audible expression of all that is exultant, ruthless, and virile—Noise which alone defends us from silly qualms, despairing scruples, and impossible desires. We will make the whole universe a noise in the end. We have already made great strides in this direction as regards the Earth. The melodies and silences of Heaven will be shouted down in the end. But I admit we are not yet loud enough, or anything like it. Research is in progress..."
Screwtape to Wormwood, The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis
Counting blessings
353 - silence
354 - music
355 - silence
356 - music
357 - silence
358 - music
359 - silence
Joining Ann today
Jodi, I love the pussy willows on your piano, your yellow wall, the hammered dulcimer (do you play?!), your daughter's perfect posture as she sits at the piano and that beautiful tree in the top picture.
ReplyDeleteThere, I just wrote a gratitude list just from your post!!!
Thanks, friend!
I love this. Music and Silence. Such great gifts. Your pictures illustrating them? Great gifts as well. I'd be happy jumping into any one of those pictures, and the accompanying music or silence.
ReplyDeletewhat beautiful notations and pictures to illustrate this relationship between music and silence. without one can there really be a full appreciation for the other. have a blessed week jodes. x
ReplyDeleteKIt, my husband plays the dulcimer. I have no musical ability - I would only make noise. So it's best I appreciate in silence lol
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I'd like complete silence. Music, well that's another matter. Noise - do I have a choice?!
ReplyDeleteI love the glimpse of your painting in the mirror. Just seeing the little detail is enough. As for that chair... I'll be over soon with my book.
*LOVE* this.
ReplyDeletesigh... such loveliness here.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
ReplyDeleteLoved the Lewis quote, too. :)
Read this in silence, and it gave me chills. Love the poster above the piano. You have such a knack for seeing, gathering, and displaying things that tell a story.
ReplyDeleteha! i just listened to this very letter on my ipod last week!
ReplyDeletenoise is despicable. thankful we are one of the enemy's accomplices who enjoys such melodies and silences :)
and i really love your piano player/and piano wall color too...
firefox ate my comment! :)
ReplyDeletejust said that is was lovely to peek into your home as well as appreciate music-silence-music.
i love your thanks today (and i'm leaning toward silence today. :)
I guess whenever a motorcycle would go by or some noisy machinery Tolkien would say their goes an Orc. Silence and music are beautiful things to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteI like the picture over your piano "Keep calm and carry on."
I LOVE your list this week. So true. I need to carve out more time for both.
ReplyDelete:)
ReplyDeletesilence
:)
music
:)
and thanks :]
Hummmm....
ReplyDeletethis post is very interesting. Never thought about this in that way. Very deep.I do love them both...very much.This made me think deep.
Also, I wanted to come and thank you for entering my give away. It was a lot of fun and I met some new friends, but I always say:
(this is a song)
"Make new friends, but keep the old ones,
one is silver and the other is gold".
Thanks for your friendship Jodi...you are a treasure!
Clapping my hands in joy over this post...just lovely. I happen to have a great appreciation for silence,probably something to do with having three children! I once read a quote that said "silence is golden and duct tape is silver....either way it's quiet."
ReplyDeleteHaha Stacy, my husband would love that quote!
ReplyDeleteThanks, everyone, for sharing. I've been really loving this version of The Screwtape Letters. There's a lot of food for thought (no pun intended. If you think about that one, you'll get it.) Anyway, it's been amusing and convicting; one minute I'm laughing, the next I'm saying, "Ouch." Thank you, Mr. Lewis, for helping this pilgrim make progress.
I love your cosy reading corner!
ReplyDelete(And Enya's "Evacuee" is one of my favorites... thanks for the nice comment on my story!)
I spelled there wrong or instead of their or they're, oh I have a love hate relationship with the English language. Too, two or to is another one I have issues with. ;-) Have a blessed week!
ReplyDeleteLovely. All of it.
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeletei NEEDED this today. "A little less noise please!" is what I seem to be saying all the time. I'm so noisy.
ReplyDeleteNow? It's quiet. Thankfully!
I enjoyed your post so much, sitting here in the silence - my favorite part of the day :)
ReplyDeleteGreat pics.
ReplyDeleteI read that book in one day in high school. Viva la Lewis!
David, one day! Whoa! That's awesome. I have to take Lewis a bite at a time and chew slowly. Otherwise, my brain hurts.
ReplyDeletethis book is a permanent fixture on my night stand. i use it sort of like a magic 8-ball, opening the page to see what might apply for that day.
ReplyDeletealthough, i suppose magic 8-balls would, for some, be deemed a Screwtape sort of toy. :)