This has been a year of being called to “be still”. To sit in my waiting. To surrender to the desire to control situations. To be quiet. To not engage.
Silence can make us uncomfortable because we’re so used to distracting ourselves from what we’re really feeling. Be it difficult emotions like fear, resentment, anger, boredom, anxiety or whatever is ruminating in our minds. When we’re truly and intentionally silent and still, we must face whatever is inside of us. Some keep moving and making plans and always being on the go, go, go, do, do, do. Call it whatever you like. Call it living. Call others boring, beige or vanilla for not living the same way. But what it truly is- is an escape for what you’re ignoring inside of you. Which is complete chaos.
Being quiet is, in some way, equivalent to keeping your mouth shut—not making your voice heard. But being silent is also about entering a sacred place within yourself. When you’re silent, an inner sanctuary opens up and your mind calms down and is freed from the endless cycle of thinking. Intentional silence cultivates more awareness within us. When you are silent, you become a better listener, a better partner, a better friend, and a better person.
I am naturally a silent person. I avoid drama. I avoid conflict. I avoid confrontation. I avoid loud people. I avoid mean people, opinionated people, negative people, political talk, conspiracy theory talk and people who are just “heated” in general. We all know the type. These are the people who feel the need to spew their venom about any and every subject they have an issue or opinion about publicly on social media. The ones who condemn you if you disagree with them and manage you down by calling you ignorant or uninformed. They often refer to you as “people” and are urging you to “get involved” or “make a difference”. I’m seeing this more than ever these days. People are on edge. People are worried. People are scared. When we feel “uneasy”, it is easy to lash out. We are all entitled to our opinions. It’s how you deliver your opinion that matters. Is it done in good taste? Is it classy? Is it eloquent? Is it well informed? Or is it just ranting? Have you ever noticed that these same individuals have very few actual friends? That when they do express their opinions nobody cares or adds their own thoughts to their posts? There’s a reason for that. I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it a million more- Words are powerful. They can lift others up, or they can tear someone apart. Choose wisely. And choose kindly. A little compassion can go a long way.