32 months of silence

I recently replaced the broken stereo system in my old Jeep. I've been driving for 32 months without an audio system. No radio, no CDs, no mp3 player. Silence (with the exception of the usual rattlings of a Jeep).

I've actually grown accustomed to silence during my relatively short commute. In fact, when I'm a passenger in my wife's vehicle she's learned to adapt to my quirk by turning the radio off. I used to listed to talk radio now and then, but nowadays I just find it bothersome, mostly because of the commercials.

At any rate, because of a recent change in my commuting situation I decided it would be a good idea to replace the broken stereo. Being able to listen to lectures for grad school (and music on occasion) during my longer commute will be a benefit.

Still, I think I will continue to enjoy times of commuting silence. It gives me time to think, pray, or just be still. Our lives seem so inundated with the consumption of audio/visual media that times of silence are often neglected to the detriment of our souls. To hint at Pascal's famous quote about learning to be quiet in our rooms, I'm trying to learn to be quiet in my car--and elsewhere.