Monday Musings Part Five: Nobility of Silence

Nobility of Silence

Modern life is full of noise and busyness. For many of us, this is just how we want it, because it helps us to avoid being with what is. We use it as a distraction. To sit still, in silence, for most of us can be the hardest thing in the world. Silence can be painful.

It can also be beautiful.

You cannot see your reflection in running water, only in a calm pool. If we are unable to be quiet, and take succour from the peace, we have something in our life that we need to resolve.

Silence has another side to it: it speaks far more loudly than words. Often, our best response is no response. Remember, we don’t have a position to defend. If we have nothing good to say, then why say it? If I hurt someone out of anger or pain, it doesn’t make me feel good. It makes me feel worse.

And, chances are, if a person is angry or upset with us, they aren’t going to be receptive to anything we have to say. More often than not, our words will only inflame instead of soothe. Why add fuel to the fire?

Each of us brings our perspective to any situation or interaction. I’m sure that each and every one of you reading this post will bring your life experiences to its interpretation. I know the way I mean to say it, but you will (undoubtedly) read it in your way. I can’t help that. My job is to say it as clearly as I know how. Your job is to keep your mirror as clean as you can so that you can perceive my words as clearly as possible.

Whatever we do, say, or think, it is between us and our hearts. Or, for those who believe in God, it is between us and God. For the more generically spiritually minded, it is between us and the universe.

What do I mean by that? When I lived in a place of inadequacy, I constantly tried to keep the peace and not rock the boat. Unfortunately, that also meant that I compromised my heart time and time again. I kept squashing who I was for the sake of being ‘liked’. That’s no way to live. Neither is always telling it like it is. That causes so much hurt, and for what reason? At the end of the day, telling it like it is means spouting your opinions and stories.

Anything we do, think, or say, effects us way more than it does anyone else. And, usually, if you have to push a point, you’re flogging a dead horse. It takes far more strength to say nothing.

In the wise words of Zen:

‘He who does not understand your silence will probably not understand your words.’

If you’ve missed my previous Monday Musings, you can find the links below: