By I drove to and from the gym today without the radio playing. And it made me think…how much do we appreciate silence? I remember in college I had a roommate who required her tv to be on with static — she couldn’t sleep without the white noise.
Some people become so accustomed to background noise that they can’t stand the silence. There are all sorts of reasons for not wanting silence – either because you grew up in a loud environment (hello NYC – I’m talking to you!) and are used to a certain level of cacaphony. Or perhaps the noise helps you to block out the thoughts rolling around in your brain. Or maybe it allows you to tune out the voices in your head!
Today’s challenge is to embrace the silence. I am grateful for the quiet. I find I can concentrate better in silence. I also become more aware of ‘micro noises’ – the whoosh of the wind; the rustling of leaves as we head into Fall.
One of the most important skills that I picked up in work is to listen and not talk. You’d be surprised what can be heard by not speaking. Simon & Garfunkel even wrote a song about it!
