"Night Song" by Stephen Kuusisto

“Night Song” is about the author’s, Stephen Kuusisto, memories as a blind child. His memories were mostly defined by sounds, sometimes touch and smell, and sometimes by blurry patches of color. His memory of the city, for instance, was defined by the potato seller’s voice, the sound of knife blades, and “the rumble of streetcars”. The author kind of develops a relationship with sound: he understands the intricacies of sounds better than most people, and he places “such great faith in sound”. I love the message behind this story, which is that people can sometimes better experience life and its intricacies by simplifying one’s perception of things. I remember random times in my life when I have closed my eyes to listen to the rain beat against the roof or to listen to an orchestra play. By shutting off certain parts of our brains, we are more capable of focusing our attention on something unique. I know this is the case in yoga, where, in order to truly relax and sink deeply into the stretches, one must shut off the part of the brain that focuses on the things that need to get done.