Okay, so here it is. LOST IN TRANSLATION. Do me a favour and open this link, let the track start and then read through the story, 'cause it really isn't complete without the background. Preferably plug your earphones in!
Sometimes
a story is but a reflection of your own life; other times, it’s the thoughts
that you have; but most often it’s your thoughts mixed with those stories
you’ve heard time and again but you still can’t make sense of.
...................................................................................................................................................................
“Won’t you come sit
with me for a while?”
“But I am. I’m sitting
right here.”
“Well, that’s the irony
of us. You’re sitting right here with me in the room, but your head most
certainly isn’t here. You work too much.”
“I’m being productive.
I’m listening to you aren’t I?
“Yeah, you are. But do
you hear the rain?”
“The rain? Are you sure
you didn’t hit your head this morning when you got out of bed?”
“Can you hear the
fire?”
“The fire now? Are you
okay?”
“Come sit here, on the
window seat; just listen. Leave those papers and your muddled thoughts there.”
“What are you on
about?”
“Just humour me for a
few minutes.”
“But I’ve really got to
finish this up. How come you don’t have any work?”
“I’ll get around to it.
It’s mulling quietly in my brain. I always get my work done, don’t I?
“You know, that annoys
me. You don’t stress half as much as I do and you still do just as well as if
not better. When do you even work?”
“That’s because I know
when to sit down and focus and not to let things stress me out all the time.
Try my way for a change. It’s not as if you’re getting any work done anyway.
I’m pretty sure all that ruffling I’ve been hearing is just you getting
flustered more than anything else.”
“Fine. Tell me what you
want to say. Out with it.”
“Who said I want to say
anything?”
“Then what are you
fussing about?!”
“I just want you to
listen. Take a breath and just listen.”
“But if you’re not
going to be talking, then what’s the point of listening?”
“Shush now. Close your
eyes.”
“Okay, now I’m blind
and listening to you not talking.”
“You still don’t get
the point. Do you even realize it’s raining outside?”
“Yeah, so? What’s the
big deal?”
“Did you realize I’ve
had the fireplace lit for the past hour?”
“Now what does the
fireplace have to do anything?”
“And that tells me you
haven’t heard a word I’ve said. Try and listen to it, not just faintly realize
that there’s music playing and leave the noises beyond human voices at that.”
“But what am I even
listening to?”
“You’re not listening
yet. When you hear it, you’ll tell me.”
“But…”
“Shush… Listen to the
sound of silence as you see it.”
“Listen to each drop
that hits the window sill, the ones that touch the glass – each flicker of the
flame because of the wind stealing down the chimney and the burst of the wood
as it’s consumed.”
“Umm, are you still
awake?”
“I’m not quite sure if
it was your poetry or the rain that took me away.”
“Hah! I’m pretty sure
it wasn’t my talking. What did you hear?”
“Everything. The wind
chimes next door even. The rain is gorgeous to listen to. And the fire just
enhances it. It’s like they’re all playing to one rhythm.”
“Well, they are. It’s
not just all chaos you know. You’d think a storm would be chaotic to listen to,
but even then, there’s an orchestra in the wind. It’s amazing isn’t it?”
“I must admit, I do
feel more relaxed than I have in the past half an hour I’ve spent with those
papers not getting anywhere.”
“You really ought to
give yourself a break sometimes. The sound of silence tends to take you out of
your mind at least for some time; or at least gives you an illusion of getting
you out of it.”
“I guess I really need
to stop and listen sometimes. How come none of this registers in my brain
otherwise?”
“It’s not that it
doesn’t register, it’s just that we don’t prioritize. Most often, such beauty
is overlooked just because it’s lost in translation.”
“Lost in translation?”
“We judge based on an
idea of it that we have. Take the rain. The first things most people think of
are how wet it’s going to be and how disruptive it may be or they’re a little
more on the romantic side, then how it just makes everything prettier and
lovelier. But the sound of the rain; that music.”
“I see now.
Interesting. How much do we really lose in translation?”
