~*~~*~~*~
Silence is said to be golden. To me it has a value far beyond that. It is priceless beyond all the gold and the rubies and the emeralds and the sapphire in the world.
I seek silence in many places and every chance I get, for it is what I covet the most in my world.
I imbibe its everpresence among tufts of clouds~ white and ephemeral~
Or in a pre-sunrise hot air balloon ride floating over the Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia, when rest of the world is still asleep.
I can listen to the stillness of the intense heat, rising behind oleander bushes towards Hieropolis.
Just as I can relish it at the sight of a swan quietly quenching his thirst at the Swan Park in Ankara - a cherished memory from my childhood.
Some of the most memorable friends I made are the silent ones -
who stole my heart without lifting a paw.
In fact - with all paws down.
The peaceful solitude of the mighty Aegean and free flying birds ~
Rumi's poetry ring in my ears, echoing his words of a divine love and wisdom . .
Ramazan has arrived, minarets are lit. A silent magic has set all over my world.
People have fasted and done iftar; the night's about to greet the morning;
time has come to place my weary head on a soft pillow.
I'll seek my place under the yorgan on this welcoming bed and thank in my heart a thousandfold for being in my motherland. For a while I may hear a seagull's squawk, or a skinny cat fight for a morsel of food he found. My heavy eyelids will close and sleep take over until the silence of my deep slumber will be broken by the most beautiful sound on earth - the tingling, clear voice of the imam calling out ezan (call to prayer) over the minarets rising over Turkish skies:
~*~
All photos are property of: Füsun Atalay
Locations: Ankara, Bursa, Istanbul, Urgüp, Pamukkale, Konya -Turkey
~*~
Füsun Atalay ~ Copyright © Will of my Own - 2012
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Comments
♥
You are so true, the so called animals- I have them as my dearest friends- in their silence, they can teach us so much.
Trully, a great travel to such a beauty, thank you for this, Fusun!
it is this: that i covet thy silence ...it is a blessed
one, not a one that at any instant
may cacophonize
it all the hell and back.anxiety, yo.
r.
Lezlie
Wonderful photos.
May your joy of life never leave you and your appreciation of fine silence grow in depth forever.
;-)
.
I have always felt that silence can wake up all of the senses and makes us more alive. And you capture that idea in your pictures, as they go so far beyond the visual. That early-morning balooning picture makes me feel that sensation of being ahead of and above a slumbering world; I feel the sun beating on me by the oleander, and I want to collapse in a patch of shade; I feel the quiet presence of a true home at the end of that exciting and memorable day, and I am grateful that a loved one would prepare that comfortable room. In a way, you have taken us all with you on your trip. Thanks!
It resounds true today. Mitt may bomb Persia.
`
And now I throw aside the veil,
Which hides the darkly shadowed tale.
...
The Persians legions speed to war,
And in the horoscope we scan
The lordly visitor of Turanian.
If folk to the conflict go rush
The Turkish cohort will be slain,
And all the saving efforts vain.
For if he, in threatened strife,
Should haply choose to lose his life;
The country's Fate will be the same,
Stripped of the throne and diadem.
`
The Sunday News was Sure Very Miserable.
It's astounding How Creepy Folks Become.
This"leaders" are Goons in Sheep Wools.
Blind Lead Blind. All Go into the Ditches.
`
I will wander to a fishing hole. Anglers.
They only hook a worm. But, maggots,
they get to clean-out cranial cavities.
Nature provides black-worm. Later.
Do these GOON-GOOFS ever Shush?
I Hope they are HAUNTED in dream.
Nature will `Payback Every `Nasty.
Afterlife?
HUBRIS!
Who tell?
Silences.
Abrawang: Thank you for your perceptive comments. I have more stunning photos on Cappadocia and the baloon ride.
CC: Thank you my dear lady.
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photographs of Turkey.
Swallowtail: So glad you liked this to view it more than once.
Designanator: Thank you, John. So nice to see you again.
Rob: You are welcome. Thank you for dropping by.
Cindy : It so nice to hear from someone who has experienced the Ezan. You validate me, thank you.
Roger: How kind you are. I loved your last piece, by the way. We need more like those too.
Mary S: Thank you for traveling here. I enjoy your company.
Snarky: Things worthy in life sometimes take long to learn so we can appreciate them.
a melodic voice to silence
with your pen and images.
If I skipped anyone else, it is not intentional. I thank you all.
Rated (Silently)
A friend speaks of the "qualities of silence" she has experienced at Quaker meetings and finds that they vary from one meeting house to another.
Lingering especially over your balloon/chimney shot. Serene, but visually complex.
........(¯`v´¯) (¯`v´¯)
☼•*¨`*•.¸.(ˆ◡ˆ).¸.•*
............... *•.¸.•* ♥⋆★•❥ Thanx & Smiles (ツ) & ♥ L☼√Ξ ☼ ♥
⋆───★•❥ ☼ .¸¸.•*`*•.♥ (ˆ◡ˆ) ♥⋯ ❤ ⋯ ★(ˆ◡ˆ) ♥⋯ ❤ ⋯ ★R
Rita: Thanks. You're right, to be comfortable in one's own silence is a blessings that rises from a clear conscience, I believe.
Thoth: Vive La Turquie, Indeed, mom ami! Don't put off taking Mrs Thoth there soon.
Daniel: Silence exhibition must have been very interesting; I love attending such things. I'm aware there's no such thing as "total" silence, but what arises as ambient sound is a product of lack of sounds as we are used to them in daily life. And in ambient sounds we can find so much to discover.
Margaret: How nice you made your way here, thanks, friend!
Princess, Nonna: Thank you dear ladies!
Alysa: I had a feeling your heart would be captured at the sight of cats. One, in fact, may even look like your beloved Ali.
clay ball:My pleasure to share, and there's much more to come.
Shutterbug: Come back, you won't regret it. Thanks for this one.
Algis, thanks my friend.
Sparky, Sophie, Kathy, Miquela, paspartu, Bea: Thank you all!
Spike: I called my mother and had her listen to the Ezan over the phone. It's a very powerful, evocative, spiritual sound. Thank you for clicking on the link.
`
I had to re-sign in @ OS again. Why?
Maybe it just happens to Everybody?
I always 'hit' Remember me. Forget?
`
It doesn't happen every day. Kerry?
Mr. Sugarman may inform? Kerry?
`
I was happy to learn about`Cappadocia.
You never heard of it right? No I hadn't.
Your Blog, a comment, and ` Wash Post.
Yesterday after I read You - John Pancake.
He did a Special for ` The Washington Post.
Andrew Rogers has `art work - 200 ft wide.
A Enormous Horse. 450 people helped him.
`
He's done work ref., ` Sacred. He Loves Turkey.
He's an artist that does Huge Projects. Google?
I saved the 'Arts' Sec `article by ` John Pancake.
`
I had to re-sign in @ OS again. Why?
Maybe it just happens to Everybody?
I always 'hit' Remember me. Forget?
`
It doesn't happen every day. Kerry?
Mr. Sugarman may inform? Kerry?
`
I was happy to learn about`Cappadocia.
You never heard of it right? No I hadn't.
Your Blog, a comment, and ` Wash Post.
Yesterday after I read You - John Pancake.
He did a Special for ` The Washington Post.
Andrew Rogers has `art work - 200 ft wide.
A Enormous Horse. 450 people helped him.
`
He's done work ref., ` Sacred. He Loves Turkey.
He's an artist that does Huge Projects. Google?
I saved the 'Arts' Sec `article by ` John Pancake.
TRY3 X's ?
Thanks for your enthusiasm.
I'm glad you were able to go home for a visit and bring us back all these gorgeous shots of our homeland : )
Sheila: Not quite "bitter-sweet". Nostalgic, definitely and I already miss the people I met and the life back there. It's so different and peaceful, people are so much nicer towards each other - genuinely.
However, my cats were clearly not your cats, not a silent one among them, they all talked, constantly :D.
Rated for peace, oh beautiful peace.
R
Beautiful pictures, Fusun. Thank you for sharing!
"Silence is the science of the times that stay, yet we use whole paragraphs to say what saying nothing could have spoken better"
Your words and photos are beautiful. Thank you for posting. x
Annie K: Thank you, Annie. What a nice surprise to see another one of my my esteemed colleagues!
Kate: Thanks, dear Kate.
Janice: I understand only too well. I wish you a lot of it.
Christine Macdonald: That is a beautiful quote by Rod McKuen. Thank you for sharing it.
l'Heure: That's because you must have been listening with your heart♥
You are so right -- silence is a wondrous joy ...
Thank you for sharing your stunning photos.
R>>>>>>