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Today's
Meditation:
I
love silence. I've been in caves in which when I stand
still, there's
absolutely no sound at all other than my breathing to
hear. I've been in the middle of the desert where
there are almost no sounds at all, especially when they heat
becomes extremely oppressive. I've been in closed-off
rooms that allow no sounds in. All of them, if I stop
and pay attention to the power of the silence, are
incredibly inspiring, lovely places to be.
It's
sometimes amazing that so many people seem to be afraid of
silence. What is there to be afraid of, though, from
the lack of sound? Often, we're taught that silence
between people is somehow awkward, or that silence is the
absence of productivity or activity, and should therefore be
avoided. We also have people teaching us that silence
is lonely, for we usually find it when we're alone.
I used to always have music playing. I love music
almost as much as I love silence, and I would never have
silent times because I wanted to listen to music. Over
the years I haven't developed a disdain for music, but I
have developed much more respect for silence, and I often
forego the pleasure of hearing music in favor of the
pleasure of hearing nothing. And when I hear nothing,
I'm not forced to respond to anything--I can truly and fully
relax myself and enjoy my surroundings.
Most people will tell you that silence is golden, but I
would bet that most people haven't much silence in their
worlds at all. Silence these days must be sought, and
when we find it, it must be cherished. It can be
neglected and unsought-after, or it can be one of our
greatest assets in our lives. We must decide what we
want it to be, and then let it give us what it will.
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