Nothing

Today’s prompt was to set the timer for 5 minutes, and stare at anything, or nothing. Then write about “the thoughts, the questions, and the answers that came up in that moment of slowness, of stillness.”

I started by observing one of my indoor plants, and quickly diverted my attention toward the cedar hedge. I’m not sure about the thoughts, questions or answers. Some thoughts flitted in and out of my brain, leaving as abruptly as they entered.

Suddenly the fridge stopped making its noise. That’s when I realized how much noise the fridge actually makes. It’s strange how when the motor is running it is not noticed, but the silence is deafening.

That thought took me back to all those over-night train rides from Bangkok to Trang. I took that trip at least once a year for 10 years. We could only afford to travel in 2nd class where each passenger had a bench, the windows were open, and there was no air-conditioning. In the early evening the stewards would come around, fold down the benches and pull out the bunk beds.

I loved travelling by train, to see the country-side that wasn’t visible along the highways. As we travelled through urban areas, we could see the backs of peoples’ home where children played, junk was stored and laundry hung from the clothes lines. Drawing near to any station we could hear the vendors call out “Gai yang” (roasted chicken) or “Khao Lam” (sticky rice in bamboo), and many other delicious snacks that would get us through the long trip.

In the later evening as people went to bed and the constant chatter stopped, the train continued to chug-chug for hours. The steady sound of the wheels along the tracks and the gentle rocking helped me sleep, but every time the train pulled into a station and stopped, I awoke suddenly to the intense quiet.

Five minutes doesn’t seem long, unless one is not doing anything. In those five minutes a lot of thoughts ran through my brain, circling, coming and going without a resolution, until they started to slow down and I could reminisce about some enjoyable experiences.