Seeking Silence in Sound
Sitting in my preferred hotel in Chicago watching the sky lighten to grey. I came to meet up with two dear friends who joined me from their states to celebrate life and the ways in which we each are reimagining what it means to do our work, be who we are (and will be) and to do it all with greater ease and freedom.
My heart was fed.
I’ve shared a year-end message since 2017. They have changed over the years, often including readings, video and music - which I offer to others. Music in particular has been a source of comfort.
Over the course of the past 18 months a few playlists have both grounded or freed me: Black and Bold and I Love my MidWest Classics and Mouse Will Play I return to repeatedly and something in me is reminded and lifted.
As I thought about what to offer at the end of 2021, I realized that what I seek now as I move into wintering are sounds not of humankind, but of nature. Sounds from species who pre-date us and, for the most part, if left alone find ways to live in harmony and balance with each other and the planet. I am fortunate that it is not a rare occasion for me to hear owls and coyotes as the moon takes its evening to dawn tour.
So instead of adding to the cacophony of human voices (including one’s own this year), I offer the beginning of a curated list of sounds. May they offer you space and a place to simply be.
About The Author:
Jara Dean-Coffey (jdc) is Founder and Director of the Equitable Evaluation Initiative and the Founder of Luminare Group. For the past twenty-five years, she has partnered with clients and colleagues to elevate their collective understanding of the relationship between values, context, strategy and evaluation and shifting our practices so that they are more fully in service of equity. For more about musings + machinations click here.
