Reflections (noise)

I am seeking to distinguish "sounds" from "noise."
This morning on my walk I was listening (on my really cool ibuds - or whatever they are called) to a podcast.  It was a conversation with Billy Abraham.  He is a theologian/professor type.  He says things like "canonical theism and epistemic ...."  Your guess is as good as mine.
Anyway.  I listen to the conversation and pick up some good ideas.  I also realize I need to go back and listen again - and again.  But to be honest, I am being blessed by what I hear.
Then I find myself walking on this wide sidewalk along Tom Watson Parkway.  I become aware of something.  Noise.  Traffic is passing.  A truck drives by.  The road noise begins to stifle the sound of the conversation. I can hear but I can't understand.  I can hear but I can't assimilate the sounds.
Soon, I turned back south and found myself off the Parkway and in a residential neighborhood.  (This is where I spend most of my outside time.)  The noise was gone.  I could once again hear the sounds.  Oh, I sense the noise of a truck in the distance.  But I was more aware of sounds.  The rush of wind passing the leaves.  The sounds of birds singing.  A fountain gurgling.  The sounds of nature.
There is a difference between sounds and noise.
Today you rise to another day to be lived in the historical coronavirus pandemic.  There is a good chance that you will hear a good bit of "noise" today.
Noise comes through more Covid-19 information than anyone is capable of assimilating.
Noise comes through opinion after opinion.
Noise comes through conspiracies.
Noise comes in the form of anxious thoughts.
Noise comes within, in the form of fear.
Noise.
What if we sought to tune out the noise and tune in the sounds?
The sounds of a fountain gurgling.
The sounds of birds.
The sounds of hope.
The sounds of peace.
The sounds of faith.
The prophet Elijah found himself in troubled times.  (Read 1 Kings 18-19.  You think we have a tough time.)
He was seeking the Lord.  He was in the place where he sought to hear God. 
He heard noise.  Heard a strong wind that broke rocks to pieces.  Powerful.  But not the sound of the Lord.
He heard the sound of an earthquake.  Frightening!  But not the sound of the Lord.
He heard the sound of fire.  But not the sound of the Lord.
Then he heard "a sound of a gentle blowing".  Maybe you have heard it as a "still small voice".  It was the sound of the Lord.  (I Kings 19:11-12)
He could hear the sound.  The noise could not drown out the voice of God.
I pray that today all the noise in your life diminish.  I pray the sounds of God be crystal clear.
This is the day the Lord has made.  We will rejoice and be glad in it.
steve