God is the friend of silence. Trees, flowers, grass grow in silence. See the stars, moon, and the sun how they move in silence. —Mother Teresa
Ever thought about growing in silence, or moving in silence? Just as Mother Teresa states above, nature grows and moves in silence. Can we do the same? I think we can. In fact, I think silence has to be a part of our lives in order for us to become fully who we are.
Silence isn’t necessarily something that our culture promotes. What do we attach to silence? Do we equate silence to loneliness, or to growth? Does too much silence mean we’re not important, or, is it that we’re important enough to have silence?
Nature is a great teacher. The elements of nature that keep the universe intact, do so in silence. If I look at silence thorugh nature, I see strength. I see boldness. I see focus. I see an understanding of purpose. I see peace. Maybe that is what Mother Teresa was getting at in the quote above.
Silence is more than not talking. It’s a state, an intent on our part to be still and quiet so we can hear more fully. Hear ourselves. Hear nature. Hear God. Hear the cries of our heart that are so easily drowned out in the frenzy and noise of life.
Silence sensitizes us. Many times when I return from a quiet weekend away everything around me seems louder than what it was when I left. It’s then that I realize the noise of life de-sensitizes my hearing. If that is so, could it be more than just my hearing that becomes de-sensitized in the midst of noise?
Silence awakens us. As the cries of our hearts finally reach our ears in the midst of silence, the deepest part of us feels heard. We’re renewed. We’re refreshed.
Silence strengthens us. As the false anchors of noise and busyness are removed, an inner resolve builds up inside of us. We are strengthened to go on, to be true to ourselves, to God, and to others.
Silence brings focus. The cries of our heart remind us who we are and why we are here. Silence clarifies our purpose.
How can we work silence into our lives? It’ll be different for each of us. Maybe it’s a few minutes of quiet before going to bed. Or five minutes in the shower of just being still. Or a walk in the park. Or a jog in the early morning hours. Find what works for you.
Maybe by growing and moving in silence, we, too, can keep our world intact.
Digging Deeper
- Does silence play a role in your life? If so, how?
- Do you welcome silence? Or, do you avoid silence? Why?
- How can you make silence a part of your world?
30/04/2009 at 8:02 pm Permalink
I love the silence… the times when I can just sit and think or maybe journal… to sit on the porch in the sunlight and listen to the birds or read a book… the silence to hear what God would want to say to my heart through His words interacting in my heart and soul so that I might stop the merry-go-round and hear Him. I love the silence of sitting on a warm summer’s night and seeing the stars appear or see a firefly passing by or to hear people going by my house talking and laughing… those moments energize my soul to God, to joy, to peace, to connection with this world and its people that God has made. Silence has been a huge companion of mine in these last years… and I have found peace and renewal and quiet there for my inner being. Silence does bring healing… it can be your friend.
And then from the place of Silence we can come renewed to touch the world with His grace and love that we found in that quiet place! A cycle like the day — with it’s noise and bustle… then the night, with it’s dark and quiet to renew our being for the dawning of the day… nature gives us the pattern!
Thanks for the reminder of the beauty and power of Silence!
01/05/2009 at 9:14 am Permalink
Thank you, Carma, for sharing about silence. Silence has a voice! It speaks softly and loudly to us! ‘The world is yet with us’ – until we choose silence. Then we ‘see’ how much the world has permeated deep into our BEing. Soul – mental clutter and dust. We know longer hear & see clearly. Distracted and double minded. Silence feeds our souls. Silence is power! Power fed deep within us to see our world differently and to choose to change, engage in a different, more live giving way. Silence is a catalyst to LIFE. Our creator speaks out of the silence. “Be still! And know that I AM YaHVeH!”