It is an interesting phenomena

The brain is a marvelous wonder.

This afternoon I am sitting on the deck eating lunch in the sun while the dogs nap. I look out and see the flowers in their pots and trees of various kinds completely surrounding me. The sky is a deep baby blue and the sun sparkling on the trees creates a soft and peaceful image. Ever so often there is a slight breeze that brushes my face and gently tingles the leaves on the deciduous trees.

Without realizing it, my mind has subconsciously created a sound backdrop of the gentle breeze blowing through the trees and summer birds chirping their songs. To me the setting is quite serene and I am enraptured in the beauty of contentment.

After I finish my lunch and the article in the newspaper, I stop to look around. At that point I realize my brain has created for me "hearing" even though I can't hear a sound. I tap my foot on the wood of the deck and my fingers on the glass table. Even though I can't hear it I can feel the vibration and yet again my brain has filled in these gaps.

While reminising about when we moved into the house, I recall the loud buzz and hum of the motorcyles that drove along the road past our house as it is a popular riding route. I can no longer hear them so it is quite peaceful to me here. I have no idea if the cars or motorcycles on the road are have been loud or have even been there.

Yet it is interesting that my brain has chosen to create the sound of birds chirping and the gentle wind. It almost reminds me of a meditative tape I owned as a hearing person. It is quite common for this same "creation of sound" to be played by my brain whenever I am in the outdoors in a more secluded setting. Often when I go to a park, I will hear children whether they are there or not because I was accustomed to their laughter while visiting parks when I worked for the department of agriculture.

I find this phenomena rather amazing. It is similiar to the power of smell. Often times people can totally be taken back into a memory by a specific scent. This has happened to me many times also.....especially when moving from the midwest to the west coast. The smell of neoprene or fresh sea salt will bring me back to several dives I have made in my lifetime.

It makes me wonder though. Will this phenomena continue throughout time or will it gradually slip away and will I forget? I have only been deaf for nearly a year (this friday or saturday will be a year of complete silence).