Recently, my husband got a Google Home. The way he walked up to it as soon as he woke up and nudged it to say the day’s headlines made me wonder what his motivation was. The desire to stay abreast of the latest news? The novelty of listening to the headlines from a voice that is artificial and otherworldly? Though unintended, I thought he and I were beginning our mornings by soaking up on unpleasant happenings.
Until the Home arrived, we had peaceful mornings. We took turns to wake up first so tea would be ready by the time the other was in the kitchen. If I woke up first, tea would be ready by the time he was in the kitchen.
On days when he would wake up first, by the time I was in the kitchen, the tea would still be getting ready– the delay owing to his “quick checking of headlines” on his phone. It used to irk me for two reasons – why check the headlines when your brain is still fresh – after a good night’s sleep, why not allow the mind to stay fresh, wander a little, and let it soak in the pristine freshness that mornings offer? (is this what you would call a control freak?)
Second reason – simply, the tea is not yet ready when it could have been ready.
Owing to the above reasons, I preferred waking up before him. To save the routine and savor the silence.
The kitchen is a place of comfort. It’s exudes warmth, literally and figuratively. Even though I love peaceful music, I don’t particularly enjoy it in the first hour of my wakefulness. I prefer it to be as quiet as possible.
Seeking silence and trying to protect it is not a thought-through decision but something that I have come to discover in the passage of time and with advancement of age.
Until the Home arrived, I used to look forward to the silence of the early mornings at home.
Then, with the arrival of Home, I felt there was another entity sharing our mornings while spilling words that served as reminders of unpleasant things. Why share sacred mornings with a strange AI personal assistant?
After more than a week of Home, I think my husband overheard me tell a friend why I love silence in the early morning. I don’t remember asking him not to ask the Home for headlines.
It has been a few days since I regained my morning routine. And the priceless silence of the early morning.
Whims and fancies 