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The Power of Quiet
Why silence really is golden
Last week, my daughter and I both had tests to study for, so I suggested we go downtown to the library, a place that holds many fond memories for us both. Years ago, they had an incredible program where young children could sit with therapy dogs and their people and read together. It was transformative for my kids, and became a weekly tradition we all looked forward to.
We were excited to see the library after so many years of construction. Both of us had popped in now and then to check out books, but neither of us had really spent any quality time there in years. I walked in filled with anticipation and a sense of longing I hadn’t realized was even there. After a bit of exploring, we climbed to the top level where we had been told would be the quietest. That should have been the first red flag. Why wouldn’t the entire library be quiet?
As we unpacked our many study props (laptop, notebooks, textbooks, highlighters and glasses, to be fair, she just unpacked her laptop), I started noticing ambient sounds I wouldn’t normally associate with a library. One man was rustling through a paper bag. Another was chatting away like it was a dinner party. And someone was on their cellphone. Did I mention this was in the library? I locked eyes with my daughter, and she said, “Mom, don’t”. I pretended to be ignorant of what her…
