The Problem With Quiet
I sat in my comfy chair watching a show on television. The sun set, leaving a colorful imprint on the sky. The inky darkness of night soon took over and I could see the moon peaking through the tree branches of the big oak in our backyard.
But, something wasn’t right. It was too quiet.
My husband had a dinner meeting so I was home alone. I think it was the first time I was completely alone in our house for the last thirteen years. It was a few days after we said goodbye to our corgi, Higgins.
Normally, I wouldn’t mind being at home with just Higgins. I would hear the tip-tapping of his claws on the wood floor as he followed me around the house. The funny noises he made when he was dreaming made me giggle. His “harumph” spurred me to get him a treat, take him outside to potty or simply give him some attention.
But, Higgins is gone and the house is quiet again. Too quiet.
The Noisy Years
The last time my house was this quiet was April 9, 1989, the day before our son was born. That was the beginning of our noisy household. He woke us up every morning with a cry, he was quite vocal. The crying turned into babbling and talking then, another little cry joined the cacophony. The background playlist—compliments of Barney, Lambchop, Sesame Street and an endless stream of Disney movies.
Sibling rivalry soon set in and the sounds changed. Occasionally, there were raised voices, slammed doors and, one time, the crashing of a broken window. But, there was much laughter too.
There were sounds of children playing, family gatherings and holiday celebrations.
Our house was full of musical sounds as well—our daughter on the piano and our son on the electric guitar. Sometimes his bandmates would join him for a practice session. For a brief period of time, he had a drum set. Not gonna lie — it was a happy day when we sold that.
The sounds of video games filled the house for a few years when our son had friends over to play. My husband and I would retreat to our room for some peace and quiet.
When he went to college, things got quieter. While he experienced his first two years of college, our daughter was in her final two (busy) years of high school. But, Higgins was always there. He barked whenever the door opened or closed. He barked at the jets and thunderstorms. We had to confine him to his room during football games because he got so worked up. For some strange reason, you could not say “Roll Tide” without him going ballistic. Silly dog.
Our house has been fairly quiet the past ten years. The three of us, me, my husband and Higgins had our own routine. Things would get lively over the holidays or when someone came home for a visit, but, for the most part, relatively quiet.
But now, with Higgins gone, it’s too quiet.
What’s So Good About Quiet?
I am determined not to remain gloomy so here are a few positive things about my very quiet empty nest:
- I can concentrate and focus on my Bible Study better
- Uninterrupted sleep
- Good for reading and writing
- Good for thinking and remembering
- Good atmosphere for prayer
Perhaps, one day, we’ll get another dog to break the silence, but, for now, we will accept it and maybe even find ways to enjoy it.
How about you? Have you experienced the death of a pet or children going off to college? Have you been left with a too-quiet house? What are some of the ways you coped?
Kim Wilbanks 
Sometimes I turn on the radio or the TV to just have “background noise” going. It doesn’t have to be loud, but I am not a fan of a totally quiet house. Sometimes the quiet is okay but I can’t take it for hours on end!
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Hi Kim,
I loved your post and am so sorry about Higgins. It sounds as if he had an incredible life with your wonderful family. I have had one pet cat after another in my life since high school. When my husband and I were raising our kids, we had three consecutive cats: Hamlet, then Teddy, then Bosley. All but Bosley lived happy, long lives. After Bosley, passed on, my husband and I adopted a new kitten, Jakie, from a shelter. He is the first cat we’ve owned since our kids have moved away. We love Jakie and are so glad we have him in our lives…but it was different bringing a pet into our home with no kids in the house. Jakie was three months old when we adopted him, and we had forgotten how wild and crazy kittens can be. With kids at home with our other kittens, they had fun with all the silliness and destructive moments. It was different having those moments with two older adults. Now Jakie is two years old and still wants to play a lot. If my husband and I aren’t home, there’s no one else to play with him. That feels different. Also, we have more flexibility to travel, but that means leaving Jakie without much company and he gets lonely. Lastly, though it’s hard to talk about this, we fear Jakie could live longer than we do….or at some point when we’re older we might not be able to run after him. In short, we’re glad we adopted Jakie and love him more than anything, but it is a bit of a change bringing a pet home with no kids. 🙂
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Hi there! So good to hear from you again! Those are all great things to consider. Getting another dog is on the back burner for a year but I’ve actually thought that if we do, we might rescue a non-puppy. Who knows? The travel is an issue for us too. Glad you guys have Jackie.
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After all I said, it IS nice to have a little four legged pal around the house.
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I agree!
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I can definitely relate. We are empty nesters and without pets for the first time since we married. I do believe this is my favorite season so far though. I am thoroughly enjoying our young adult children, watching them learn and implement what we tried so faithfully to teach them. I am enjoying two new additions to our family with a daughter-in-law and son-in-law. I enjoy visiting my children in their homes now and having the freedom and money to travel. Getting more involved in ministry again now that the kids are on their own has been rewarding. Love mentoring and serving others. So all in all, as much as I enjoyed the early years with babies and baseball and dance….. family life just keeps getting better. Cannot wait for grand babies! Lol
Thank you for sharing how you are finding the blessings of a quiet home. So encouraging!
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I’m with you! Can’t wait for grands! My daughter is married but my son isn’t yet. One day . . . .
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I loved reading this Kim! It reminded me that while I am still in the noisy season of my life that I need to remember that it is a blessing just like finding quiet time is! I’m sorry about your dog and I pray you the perfect balance between quiet and noisy in your new season of life!
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Thank you! Enjoy your noise!
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This spoke to my heart, Kim! Thank you!
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Thank you! I appreciate the opportunity to share my blog posts.
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