Memory Through Sound
The hum of the fan dissolves into the hum of the city beyond my window, and soon, my feet carry me outside — into the concrete veins of this place that never stops pulsing.
The rhythm of my feet on the grey concrete pavement had synced up with my breathing. I continued to walk along the path, my thoughts heavy from the weight of what each day was bringing. The distant pulse of sonic beats in my mind fell from my eyes and onto each footstep as I watched each foot swing forward and disappear in my field of view. The air had been oppressively hot and sticky earlier, making it difficult to find solace in my thoughts amongst the sweat that formulated behind my hair on my neck. Now, however, something had changed. The wind carried a strangely dusty scent, as if the world itself was tired. A soft breeze cut my sweat and left goosebumps. I glanced up for the first time to see a grey wash sky, then back down at the ground.
There it was; the peculiar smell of rain-soaked earth, mingling with the urban scents. That refreshing and invigorating smell, that feels crisp. I pictured the cooled rain drops mingling with the warm, dry ground that is tainted by human interaction and pollution. I could almost see the scent rising from the ground. The rain carried with it a sense of freshness and cleanness, among the disgrace of the city that surrounded me. Washing away the lingering odours of the day, I felt my brain’s fog dissipate. I slowed my steps – the soles of my shoes clicking softly against the ground – allowing the warm raindrops to land gently on the nape of my neck, their touch a soothing contrast to the earlier sweltering discomfort. At first, I flinched a little, the unexpected sensation taking me by surprise. I realised that my body subconsciously anticipated this rain with the change of wind sweeping my body. The rain was a gentle caress – surprising me as it cooled the nape of my neck – a soothing tough in the midst of chaos. It cut through the city’s heaviness, rinsing the sweat, the tension, the noise. I stopped walking. I let it soak in. In that moment, I realised that sometimes, even in the midst of life's challenges, nature has a way of offering a much-needed reprieve, reminding us to pause and appreciate the simple beauty of the world around us. I stopped completely, on the sidewalk.
I closed my eyes and let the raindrops run down my cheeks and onto my shoulders. They mingled with the sweat that had gathered on my skin there earlier. I took deep breaths, inhaling the refreshing scent of the rain, and as the rain continued to fall, I noticed how it began to colour the grey pavement around me. The concrete darkened, taking on shades of grey, while the raindrops danced on its surface like liquid diamonds. It was as if the world was being washed clean, as if the rain was cleansing away the weariness and worries that had clung to you throughout the day. Each drop on the pavement adding to a canvas of deepened shades, slowly filling in each square with its tone and unique summer palette. You took deep breaths, in and out, savouring the petrichor that rose from the rain-soaked ground. It was the smell of summer rain, a fragrance that held the promise of renewal. In that moment, you felt a sense of peace wash over you, a serenity that had eluded you for far too long. The world may have been filled with challenges and uncertainties, but for now, all that mattered was the summer rain, the soft patter of drops on the sidewalk, and the simple beauty of being alive in this fleeting moment.
Embedded: Music For 3 CDJs