The Silence of Salem

It's this moment in time that makes me feel at home here. This moment that comes at the end of each day as the sun, sets. The sound of silence.

Photos by Kevin Montgomery Salem-news.com

(Salem-News.com) - Traveling throughout Salem everyday, a reporter should always keep his eyes & ears open. With that in mind this reporter took note of the eerie silence as I left the big box store where I work on the east side.

Listening for a few moments I heard nothing. No traffic noise, people talking, shopping carts rattling alone or migrating geese.

When I first moved to Oregon six years ago, I remember how hard it was to sleep. The silence was deafening. Early this morning as I retrieved the Sunday paper from the ice covered deck; again I took note of the silence.

How peaceful. How tranquil. How exciting, knowing that in a few hours, people would take the chance to venture out and brave the elements.

Dumping the paper on the table, I got myself bundled up, grabbed my camera and got those pictures that are worth a thousand words. Pictures of beautiful silence.

Yet off in the distance the silence was broken.

The sound of the train blowing its horn as if to warn all of the ice and snow. The sound of the lone black crow cawing "Cold! Cold!" The scamper of the squirrels as they ran across the fence top.

It's this moment in time that makes me feel at home here. This moment that comes at the end of each day as the sun, sets.

The sound of silence. Everyone is home. The critters in their dens. The moment where we can relax and recharge. A time we all should take and enjoy the silence.