silence

“He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.” Elbert Hubbard

I am fluent in silence. As much as I love the cadence of voices in a conversation, the noise of laughter and chatter in a room of people, I am grateful for the quietness and peace of the silence that permeates my world at times. Arising early in the morning before the world has shifted into motion affords me the opportunity to soak up the silence.

There were times in my life when everything had to be full - of people, activities, work, travel and doing. Rumi tells us that: There are times when we keep on engaging ourselves in useless talks. Also, we tend to engage ourselves in so many unnecessary things that we hardly think of getting some alone time for ourselves away from all those nuisances, and thus, be able to listen to the silence.

As I’ve aged, I realize that I have slowed down, outgrown some of the events that crowded my life. I can enjoy some of the fullness of the quietness. I am learning to tolerate more silences in my life. One learns to be comfortable with self or to be comfortable waiting to fill those longer times of nothingness. Silence can be a great teacher. I stand in the recess of this time in history with the clutter of chaos and wonder if we aren’t to just listen. The planes are not flying south in formation to sunny destinations like they used to. The classrooms, hallways and playgrounds are once again silenced because the children have been sent home. The house sits empty waiting for family and friends to fill the spaces once again. And so I listen in the silence. Reflecting, praying, waiting.

What is going on in your silences right now? What is God trying to show you as you listen to His voice? Be still and know that He is God.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him.
He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God Psalm 62:5-7 ESV