I wrote this for my Mind, Body, Spirit column and it ran on 1/4/08 as “Silence is Golden.”  It was written for a specific audience, so I’ve modified it slightly for this blog. 

 

Value of Silence

 

It only takes a few minutes of listening to another’s endless, mindless chatter to truly appreciate the saying “silence is golden.”  Likewise, basking in the realm of genuine silence leads one to truly appreciate sound—not loud, pointless, nerve-wracking clatter, but sounds that have value, substance, and a reason to be listened to. 

 

The winter season brings with it the sounds of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, but in nature, a blanket of silence and stillness settles over the land.  Birds sing less, the cadence of crickets and locusts disappears, and gray skies shed a feeling of calmness.  Jet skiers, wakeboarders, and partiers trade lake water for the warmth of a fireplace at home.  The now unblemished water imparts a sense of tranquility.  Early morning fog often rolls across its mirror-like stillness, giving it peaceful, ethereal beauty. 

 

It’s in silence that the song of a lone red bird can be enjoyed and its whereabouts revealed without the aid of one’s eyes.  It’s in silence that the relative size of a fish jumping in the lake can be determined by the sound of its splash.  In silence one can also ascertain the approximate size of rocks tumbling from a bluff as audads meander across it.   

 

That same stillness of nature can—and should—be brought into one’s innermost being.  Silence has the ability to soothe the soul and calm the troubled spirit.  Once experienced, it becomes not an occasional luxury, but a necessity as vital as sleep, food, and water.  

 

Suggestions on using silence to clear mental and emotional clutter include:

 

Take a walk—Power walk or stroll—it doesn’t matter.  Regardless of the weather, dress appropriately and get moving.  Leave the Ipod at home.  If walking with a partner, forgo speech and enjoy nature’s sounds.

 

Nap—Nap away from main living areas.  Turn off the television, shut the door, cover up, breathe deeply, and unwind.   

 

Fish—Fishing isn’t always about catching fish.  Relax, savor the silence, yet hear the sounds of the lake.

 

Alone time—Carve a few minutes out of each day to be alone.  Arise earlier and drink coffee in the dark before showering for work.  Solitude in the morning helps one better tackle a hectic day.  Or bundle up after dinner and star gaze for awhile.  One can get lost in the night sky and find it difficult to return to the house and blaring television. 

 

Bedtime—Go to bed earlier sometimes.  If sleep doesn’t come immediately, breathe deeply and let go of the daily grind.  The silence can be soothing.  Note the rhythm of a clock’s ticking, the sound of the heater cutting on and off, or the cry of distant—or not so distant—coyotes.

 

While striving to reap the benefits of quiet time for ourselves, we also have the means to bestow its rewards upon others.  In the words of Rachel Naomi Remen: “The most basic and powerful way to connect to another person is to listen.  Just listen.  Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each other is our attention . . . A loving silence often has far more power to heal and to connect than the most well-intentioned words.”