The Importance of Silence

“All men’s miseries derive from not being able to sit quietly in a room.” Blaise Pascal

I learned what I call “the art of silence” from my father. He was completely comfortable with silence, and he taught me to be comfortable with it as well. It is a necessity for me to sit in silence for at least fifteen minutes every day, and I will do whatever I have to in order to accomplish it.

Silence is a necessary element to a peaceful and serene lifestyle. It is restorative and relaxing, and it gives me an opportunity to reflect on what is good in my life and what needs to be changed. It gives me a chance concentrate on all that I have to be grateful for, helps keep me centered, and provides a chance to simply let my mind wander. When the chaos of everyday life begins to make me feel edgy and irritable, silence is the perfect antidote.

In addition, being quiet also provides time for prayer and meditation. Silence is the best condition in which to communicate with God because His voice is subtle and sometimes difficult to hear amid the chaos. If I will just sit quietly and listen, He will always tell me what to do in times of struggle or hardship, and in the silence He will give me the comfort to cope with it.

Sadly, many folks do not know how to be silent, and many do not like silence at all. They are uncomfortable when it gets too quiet, and they feel that they have to erase it with mindless chatter, noise from the television, or anything else that will fill the void. Of course, there are always those chosen few with whom we feel more comfortable sharing silence. For example, when we first meet someone, it is quite uncomfortable and awkward when the conversation lags. Both parties are quickly trying to think of something to talk about. But, it shouldn’t be this way with our family or close friends. We should be able to comfortably share quiet times with them.

There are also those people who are uncomfortable with silence when they are alone. Maybe they don’t like it because there is nothing to focus on except for their own thoughts. Self-reflection is difficult for some, especially when they have problems they do not want to face or feelings of guilt that they do not want to admit. Silence sometimes forces us to hear the noise going on in our own minds, and it is not always pleasant. But in order to grow, we must hear that noise and resolve it.