Silence is Loud.

In a day and age where we are compelled to do more, see more, be better informed, learn faster, achieve higher results, it is hard to believe how loud silence really is. Truth is, silence is uncomfortably loud. There is a greater comfort in being on the go and doing than there is in sitting in silence. As I continue to grow, I am finding the importance of allowing silence to be a bigger part of my life.

Why do I make silence a crucial part of my life?

I don’t know everything and the only way I am going to continue to learn is by listening more and talking less. This can be as simple as enjoying someone share their insights or even just sitting silently and letting God unpack his thoughts to me. Also, I need to enjoy the solitude of taking in my surroundings. Recently, this has become a great sense of enjoyment. For example, my three children are in their late teens and early 20’s. To watch them do life – everything from finding the cheapest gas, the newest song out, or even playing a board game until the early morning hours, they are making their strides into adulthood in a cool way. I also find environments fun to watch – supermarkets, church, airports, gyms, even Home Depot allows people to be amazing. Finally, I need to recalibrate more. There are times where I need to get alone, stare at an ocean, a forest or some open space and get away from my world. When I do, it resets my mind. I enjoy musing over a teaching, my day or even a challenging situation in a silent time. I am continually amazed what a few minutes out of the stream of life will do to foster a new sense of creativity and renewal.

Silence is loud…it sets the environment for my ears, eyes and heart to reopen. In a life that is barreling ahead with many people, noises and responsibilities, silence can be one of the loudest of all.