The Sound of Silence

In a post a few months back, I wrote how a baby’s burp is one of the most satisfying sounds a parent can ever hear. Since then, I’ve discovered an even more satisfying sound – the silence coming from the baby monitor after 45 minutes of crying. Maybe satisfying isn’t the right word. It’s more like the sound of relief, of exhaling after 45 minutes of holding your breath. I probably won’t ever run a marathon, but I’m betting the relief that silence brings is similar to what a runner feels on crossing the finish line. (Maybe a half marathon? I don’t want to take anything away from marathon runners.) Unfortunately, one of the most upsetting sounds a parent can hear often follows the silence: the sound of crying starting up again. It is the sound of disappointment. It makes me and my wife so very sad. For Violet and for us.
      

286 days old