The diary of a silent writer

A sound

I remember in high school, during science class, we learned about sound and the way it's traveling. Our teacher told us a riddle: "If a tree in a forest falls and there is no one around to hear that, was there sound?"

I often find the conversation you have about this riddle interesting. I love to hear people's opinions on it. Because there's no right or wrong here, both sides are technically right about something.

A tree that falls will make a sound even though no one hears it, however, because no one is hearing it, can we really speak about a sound? It's fascinating.

Lately, I find myself comparing this riddle to humans. How often do you look around at the people you cross on the road or online? Maybe that person you saw in the blink of an eye is that tree. The tree that's falling but no one is able to hear it.

Many people are screaming for help as loud as they can, yet the people around them don't seem to hear it. So, is there a sound then? 

It makes me wonder how many falling trees I met and missed to hear. It makes me wonder how I can hear those falling trees when I meet them. 

Because if no one is around to hear it, is there a sound?

- Leah