There are many different kinds of silence. There is angry silence, comfortable silence, awkward silence, tense silence. I like comfortable silence the most. When you are with someone and you don't feel the need to talk, because you are content to just be with that person or think your own private thoughts.
There is the silence of being by yourself. Most people don't talk to themselves when they are the only one around. It is okay to talk to yourself in a crowded grocery store, but when you are alone in the house it is weird to hear the sound of your own voice.
There is a certain morning silence. It is that time that starts when you wake up, and ends when you utter your first words of the day. Some people, myself included are not morning people, and would rather not talk in the morning if they don't have to.
I was struck by a weird thought. From when I woke up this morning, I did not speak to anyone until around three o'clock. There was simply no one around, until I went into a store and greeted the cashier. And even then it was maybe a word or two. If you don't see anyone or you are alone, you don't feel the need to talk. I see it as an opportunity to rest your vocal chords and just take everything in. When you are not busy gabbing away you are able to pay more attention to your surroundings.
I wonder what it would be like to be a mime.
There is a reason there are sayings like, "silence is golden." It is okay to be quiet sometimes, to refrain from talking and to just listen. To feel. When we stop talking we use our other senses and we see things or hear things we wouldn't have otherwise seen or heard.
Take a deep breath of fresh cold air, close your eyes and just listen. Feel the silence.
I like silence, but depends where. In a house silence is painful, I"ll turn on music. The silence is just to loud.
ReplyDeleteSilence while out in nature, is beautiful. In Eretz Yisroel, whenever I was in Tzfas, I used to love going to Birya and just sit there on a mountain top, no noise for miles around, and think. (Yah I know that sounds a bit druggie, but it isn't!. That was the best place in the world. Going there @ night with a couple friends and watching the endless shooting stars. Man, that was the life!)
But, as explained in chassidus the whole point of speech is "for the zulas" for the next person. The whole purpose is to be able to express yourself to others. Therefore without people around you dont need it. And in the little time you dont have to deal with others, you can actually listen to yourself.
I like this... silence is a very profound part of our lives and while at times it feels so empty... it really is so filled...
ReplyDeletesometimes silence is the loudest thing of all...
There's a difference between silence - the absence of sound and what you are describing -the absence of speech.
ReplyDeleteTheres a huge difference between not speaking and living in silence.
I don't think I can bear living in silence.
ReplyDeleteVery few can - and that's the whole point - your post, then, becomes extremely misleading.
ReplyDeleteMy apologies if you were mislead by my post. I don't think my post was misleading.
ReplyDeleteI am saying I like silence. You are saying I don't mean silence I just mean not conversing and talking.
I don't use silence then in the correct usage of the word. Thanks for pointing that out. If I ever write a book I shall have to ask you to edit it for me.
You are gonna need somene that's for sure ;)
ReplyDeleteEvery great writer has a greater editor.
ReplyDeleteI will need someone, but not you.
My goodness - not only an editor will you need, but a thicker skin. if I've learned anything in the course of my commentng here is that you cannot take crticism. All you need is the appluase of your faithful - that will for sure make you better at your craft.
ReplyDeleteMaybe you can start an Anti-Altie fan club.
ReplyDelete