Tap tap tap. That's the sound of a keyboard, an instrument of the Office Music Orchestra. Phone rings, elevator dings, and cube conversations also make up this jolly arrangement.
The 101 North twisted and turned like a dizzy whirlpool. Had we driven any faster, we certainly would have added our lunch to the interior.
The vertigo was all worth it, however. As soon as we reached the base of the Point Reyes hiking trails, I noticed a different kind of music. The Office Music Orchestra was nowhere to be heard here at this scenic site.
"Hear that?" I asked Dave.
"Hear what?" He blinked and looked around. "I don't hear anything."
"Exactly," I smiled.
There was a calming still to the air. I felt a fresh breeze that was as refreshing as a cool shower on a humid summer day. A long sigh fell from my lips, along with all the week's stresses.
No angry managers, no urgent meetings, no last-minute crises. No more web, no more technology, no more cubes. Only nature and its soft, gentle rhythm: the Nature Music Orchestra. Shushing leaves and whispering winds dotted with the occasional chirp.
We took to the trail. It was a well-worn dirt path traveled on by many other Silicon Valley worker bees like me.
"Don't you wish every day was like this?" I said out loud to no one in particular.
"Yea, this is really nice," answered Clarence.
"This is nice, but I wouldn't want this all the time," added Serene.
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"I'd go nuts if life was always slow like this. This is nice once in a while, as a break from the usual hectic routine. But to do this every day for the rest of my life would drive me nuts."
I mused on this for the remainder of the hike. The thought rolled around my tongue like a foreign delicacy. Every angle was tasted and savored.
The Work Hard/Play Hard ethic of NYC certainly left an imprint on me. Long Hours and I dated many, many times; it was a romance we cultivated on and off for years. Anyone who works for Silicon Valley knows her too, for she has many suitors.
That said, we often don't notice an off-tune note until we've heard a few dozen on-tune melodies. A sunny day after a long line of cloudy ones is always met with celebration. Cold water always tastes better on a hot afternoon.
The Nature Music Orchestra was soothing indeed, but I would have never been able to appreciate its harmony had I not been subjected to the sterile sounds of the Office Music Orchestra first.
The stark reality of the value of contrasts was revealing. I smiled when it struck me.
Renewed with a deeper understanding, I took in a long, deep breath. I wanted to carry this back to the office, knowing it would help me appreciate the tap tap tap of a keyboard once again.
The Nature Music Orchestra was wonderful for its revitalizing qualities; the Office Music Orchestra had its own charms in encouraging a sense of accomplishment. I needed both of them, just as I needed sunny and cloudy days.
With another breath, I listened carefully to the music around me.
What do you hear when you hike?
