The Taste of Silence
I just got back from a silent retreat. Well, mostly silent.
It was very refreshing. I had ample time to relax and just snooze, along with read and pray and completely forget about homework for 48 hours.
Being an introvert I spend a lot of my time alone, and not having a car so either biking or walking adds to that. You would think then that I would already have plenty of silence.
I'm reminded that's not the case. It's easy to have fake silence.
Most of the time I'm in my room, my computer is usually on. It's loud enough on it's own (whirrrr.....) but more often than not I have music playing, or occasionally a video, and more often than not a game (although those will be scarce for Lent). So even though I'm alone, it's not usually in silence.
Even with walking and biking, I sometimes am listening to music or reading (well, when I'm walking, I'm not that crazy on my bike), but usually it's without any outside stimulation, but even then it is not really silence. Often enough I've left my house and my mind is filled with this or that and I'm at my destination before I realize it.
Silence is much more than an absence of noise.
During our meals, we were silent. No expectations of small-talk, only the soft music in the background and the clinking of dishes. I could actually taste the food I was eating. I enjoyed it more for what it was, instead of another step in my day. I guess that's what silence tastes like.
Tonight as I walked home, I took the time to actually look at the things that I pass by every day. The cityscape glimmering in the dark and the ethereal moon in the clouds were amazing. I found myself getting distracted as things crossed my mind, but I was still able to grasp a few moments of perfection.
Try being really silent sometime. Maybe then you will hear the whisper of God.
It was very refreshing. I had ample time to relax and just snooze, along with read and pray and completely forget about homework for 48 hours.
Being an introvert I spend a lot of my time alone, and not having a car so either biking or walking adds to that. You would think then that I would already have plenty of silence.
I'm reminded that's not the case. It's easy to have fake silence.
Most of the time I'm in my room, my computer is usually on. It's loud enough on it's own (whirrrr.....) but more often than not I have music playing, or occasionally a video, and more often than not a game (although those will be scarce for Lent). So even though I'm alone, it's not usually in silence.
Even with walking and biking, I sometimes am listening to music or reading (well, when I'm walking, I'm not that crazy on my bike), but usually it's without any outside stimulation, but even then it is not really silence. Often enough I've left my house and my mind is filled with this or that and I'm at my destination before I realize it.
Silence is much more than an absence of noise.
During our meals, we were silent. No expectations of small-talk, only the soft music in the background and the clinking of dishes. I could actually taste the food I was eating. I enjoyed it more for what it was, instead of another step in my day. I guess that's what silence tastes like.
Tonight as I walked home, I took the time to actually look at the things that I pass by every day. The cityscape glimmering in the dark and the ethereal moon in the clouds were amazing. I found myself getting distracted as things crossed my mind, but I was still able to grasp a few moments of perfection.
Try being really silent sometime. Maybe then you will hear the whisper of God.
Labels: Life?
posted by Typo Panther at
11:29:00 PM
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