Sweet Sounds of Childhood

My childhood was full of sounds.

I can specifically recall the sound of my mother's high heeled shoes clicking towards the entrance of our apartment and then the sound of her keys turning in the keyhole. Since my mom was a single mother, who worked long hours and often went on business trips, I would always wait to hear the sounds signaling her return. I would immediately get a rush of comfort, happiness, and love hearing these sounds because I knew my mother was finally home and it made me feel safe.

Another sound that played a major role in my childhood was laughter. I remember how my friends and I would make each other laugh so hard that we would end up rolling on the floor, gasping for air. I can recall the sound of my father's car pulling up to pick me up for the weekend, his favorite (Israeli) music playing inside, and then the two of us driving together-- singing loudly bits and pieces of kids' songs and lyrics that we made up.

Music was always prominent in my childhood. I remember the sound of the music that I would dance to in my ballet and jazz classes, as well as listening to my mom's music blasting from the stereo- classics like Madonna, Michael Jackson, Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, and other oldies, which I would be dancing and jumping to at any given moment on our living room couch. My first CD was Mariah Carey's "#1's" and I would listen to it repetitively- over and over and over again. I still have it and remember every lyric. I would also listen to the Spice Girls and the Backstreet Boys with my friends. I remember the sound of my mother playing piano flowing to my ears as a child. She rarely played, but I loved it when she did.

The sound of airplanes taking off was instilled in my mind since I often traveled overseas with my mother. It's a sound that still excites me just as much as it did when I was a child.

Oddly enough, the sound of traffic and cars would always (and still does) calm me down because I lived in a city environment through most of my childhood. I remember that once I moved from New York City to New Jersey when I was 14 years old, it was difficult for me in the beginning to fall asleep to nature sounds like birds chirping because I was so accustomed to hearing traffic noises.

I remember the sound of my grandparents' old fashioned living room clock and how I always associated it with rest- because I would sit, quietly play, and listen to it tick while they would take their usual Saturday afternoon nap.

Other sounds that I distinctly, and pleasantly remember from my childhood are the recess bell at school, the doorbell ringing at my house (my next door neighbor, who was also my best friend, would always come to invite me to play at her house), my grandmother's voice- she is one of my favorite people in this whole world, and my grandmother's neighbor who would always (and still does) ring the doorbell at my grandma's apartment in a multiple sequence so my grandmother could recognize that it's her.

Today, I pretty much enjoy the same sounds, which have only evolved in accordance to my own "grown-up" preferences and lifestyle. I still love listening to music- on the radio, my ipod, my computer, while going out, etc. Ocean waves have always been a favorite sound of mine because when I lived in Israel, the beach was a short driving distance from my house and I used to go very often...I still crave living by the ocean. Laughter is definitely a sound that I still cannot, and never intend to, live without.

All the sounds that I discussed bring back so many sweet, nostalgic memories and make me really happy...I think that this is exactly what listening should be about!