SILENCE IS GOLDEN

SILENCE IS GOLDEN!

E.E. Cummings said, “Most people are perfectly afraid of silence.”

We live in a society where silence is priceless, often desired and feared simultaneously. It is almost impossible to find in our sonic boom culture.

I seek silence. It increases my ability to concentrate. I have been known to say, “Be quiet so I can think or hear myself think.” I think the same is true for a lot of people.

Did you know focus is most likely lost when sound reaches 80 decibels? That’s a noisy restaurant, an airport, garbage disposal.

I absolutely love running ideas by others. However, I create with their useful feedback in a silent environment. Free from distraction and the noise of the world, is where I go to improve my self-awareness and to seek guidance. Silence provides space for me to cultivate inner peace, to relax, to reduce my stress levels and improves my capability to learn and absorb thoughts and ideas. Sitting quietly certainly improves my productivity and it surely encourages my patience and mindfulness. But these things might also be the reason for Cummings’ words.

Our home, on a day-to-day basis, has become practically devoid of sound, punctuated periodically by the icemaker or the air-conditioner. We own multiple TVs, and several interactive voice assistant devices. The TV is never on during the day and infrequently in the evenings. When music is played on one or all the interactive devices, it is barely audible.

Some may find personal silence intimidating. Not I. I am often alone but never lonely, so I don’t need background noise to keep me company. I am never bored. Occasionally I am restless and when that happens, I sit down, and the silence always produces a solution to the restlessness. In silence my creative juices flow freely. To be able to embrace silence is a cherished gift and I find it golden.

I challenge you to begin the practice of silence for the sake of your heart and mind. Start small, sit in the car before going to work or a few minutes before entering the backdoor of home. Turn off all distractions and for two or three minutes, “don’t just sit, sit.” In the sitting, pay attention to what pulls at you…do you feel nervous or anxious etc.? Resist the temptation to give in to the pulls. They will loosen their grip bit by bit. Let the silence speak to you in the silent place and eventually the silence will begin to order your sonic boom world. I think you will find the time well spent and rewarding. It is another tool for use on the way to a more balanced existence.

What you are reading is a byproduct of silence.

Ecclesiastes 3:7

PONDER THIS THOUGHT---"Silence is sometimes the best answer.” Dalai Lama XIV