Takeaways:

• In the midst of a downpour, there's a symphony of sounds that can be quite enlightening.
• Rain can transform our everyday surroundings into a canvas of sensory experiences, like Venn diagrams made of puddles.
• John Cage's philosophy teaches us that silence is a myth; we are always surrounded by sounds.
• Choosing what to listen to is crucial; it shapes our experiences and perceptions of the world.
• Every drop of rain carries a story, inviting us to pause and really listen to our environment.
• The balance between chaos and calm in nature reminds us of the beauty in everyday moments.

Links referenced in this episode:

• jamesabrown.net

This is Dispatches from America.

I'm James A.

Brown.

A mighty rain washed down my street, splashing speed bumps glistening curbsides rushing to the drains, each drop a bubble.

Puddles drawn like Venn diagrams.

Porches pounded, potholes tapped like drums, like teeth.

Leaves shook on hundred year old trees, raised beds watered.

The breeze came calling.

It wasn't quiet, but it wasn't chaos either.

It was something else.

A reminder that John Cage was right.

There is no silence.

We always hear.

What matters is what we choose to listen to.

So here's my question.

When the rain hits your street, what do you hear?

Let me know on jamesabrown.

Net.

On that note, I'm James A.

Brown, and as always, be well.