I did something Friday that I haven’t done in a while. Run barefoot on the beach? Ah…no. Those days are behind me.
I spent a few hours in silence.
We don’t do that enough anymore.
Think about it: We experience a lot of noise in our lives. Every day. You probably don’t think of it because you’re so used to it.
For most of us, we wake up with noise. The alarm clock goes off or, for the new parent, the baby cries. Pet owners might be woken up by a furry friend who has to go out or wants to be fed. And I’ve always felt like nothing wakes you up faster than the sound of the dog about to be sick. Yikes!
Once you get up you might have family members talking or kids fighting. Maybe you turn on the Today Show or your favorite morning radio person.
By the way, I just want to say “Thank you” to the people who have welcomed me into their homes or commutes over the years.
And even if there is no actual noise you are bombarded by notifications, emails, and ads.
Throughout the day there’s traffic and motorcycles going by. There might be construction or your neighbor cutting the grass, We make calls, send texts, receive texts, play our favorite playlist or listen to our favorite podcast. I know people who turn the TV on, not to watch, but just to have some noise in the house.
Friday afternoon… I turned it all off.
It was, mostly, quiet in my house. I say “mostly” because my dog barks. A lot. He barks at anyone walking by and anyone who is even THINKING of walking by anytime in the next month. He also doesn’t like the Amazon guy, Fed Ex Guy or the UPS driver. I don’t know what they’ve ever done to him but he just doesn’t like them.
Those few quiet hours were so refreshing.
I heard a new song recently. It’s by Ella Langley called “Speaking Terms.” I’ve been obsessed with this song. That’s why I’m writing about it now. Whenever I can’t get something off my mind I figure that’s a sign I should do something with that.
I’ll post the song at the end of this column but basically it’s about how a woman found it easy to pray to God when she was younger, but now wonders if her prayers are being heard.
Here’s the chorus:
“I carry on this one way conversation.
I’m listening but You don’t say a word.
If Your answer’s in the silence, I’ll be patient.
But it’s hard to know my prayers are being heard.
I’m waiting on a whisper, just something to confirm that
You and me are still on speaking terms.”
I confess: There have been times in my life where I wondered if my prayers were being heard. As I’ve gotten older I realize that many times my prayers have been answered, it just wasn’t the answer I was hoping for. Sometimes it led to something better and other times there was something I needed to learn.
Getting back to the song (and the silence)…how can we hear the answer if there’s so much noise?
Even if you are not a faith-based person, how can you figure out a problem or make a big decision if you’re always on your phone or constantly being distracted? The amount of data that we are being exposed to in our daily lives is astounding!
I’m not going to say I heard the voice of God during my silence Friday, but I’m also not going to say I DID NOT hear God’s voice. I came up with a few ideas and ways to handle a few situations I’m dealing with lately. Did I have help with those ideas? Maybe.
I get it. It can be intimidating to be alone with your thoughts. I’ve actually skipped the gym a few times because I forgot my ear buds and I just couldn’t imagine being on the treadmill for 30 minutes with no music or videos.
A Facebook friend, Jon Stetson, recently shared a meme.
“Magic happens when you give it space to exist.”
Why not try it this week? Turn OFF the noise!
You might be amazed by what you hear.
Miss any previous Sunday Columns? Catch up by clicking here.
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