Today I drove out to Christopher Lake where a friend lives in a fine house with his Dutch wife. They have carved out a life for themselves there, and have enjoyed the outdoor activities that the wilderness on the lake has provided them. Winter and summer.
I sat in their front room with them, right in front of a large window where he sits, trying to manage the pain from the cancer that has invaded his body. We drink vanilla flavored coffee and talk about life and all that it has offered my friends.
In between the noise our voices make, there are gaps of comfortable silence, as we watch out the window together.
The birds fly in for a bite to eat. The squirrels have dug tunnels in the snow. And the fierce wind today blows around any loose leftover snow.
And the silence.
The silence surprises me. It calms me, after a very uncalm week. It´s like medicine for my soul. My friend and his wife comment that often when they have guest come up for a visit, they find the visitors start to yawn. The silence does that you know. It makes time for your spirit to catch up with your body.
I think I nearly lost my spirit this week. So I was grateful for the quiet.
As I started my half hour journey home I wondered how I would be a different man if I lived in a place of silence. I always talk like I prefer the noise of the city and the activity and diversity of life. But I wonder how I would be different in a smaller, quieter place.
I used to think that silence was an empty space to fill. A void. But lately I´m starting to see silence as an active thing. A life restoring grace if you will.
It´s something, not nothing.
I wondered today how I would be different with more something and less nothing in my life.
Silence. It is indeed golden.
You know Randall, I enjoy Saskatoon and what it has to offer. Last summer though, I enjoyed the crackle of a fire at my parents' cabin. No other noises except quiet conversation from time to time. There was the occasional howl of a coyote nearby, but nothing mechanical or unnatural. It was a few great evenings. Nothing had to be said, just peace and quiet. Time to reflect and realize the weight TV, internet, telephones etc. can be on our shoulders. It is all about love, people and relationships, even with those that are difficult to love sometimes, but quiet time with family certainly is precious.
ReplyDelete"It's something, not nothing."
ReplyDeleteWow, that struck me. So very true. Silence is as full as noise is empty.... If that makes sense. Great post. Thanks for this.
Just wanted to say thanks for having the guts this past week.
ReplyDeleteSilence... so looking forward to that when we get settled down there.
Sunsets on the varanda... feel free to enjoy the view sometime
I love the silence too. I always have. But these past few years with anything BUT silence in my life (until certain individuals shorter than 3 feet tall who live in my house are asleep), I've really come to appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI think the key is to be able to appreciate the silence when your life is full of "noise" and busyness, and then when your life slows down to still be able to appreciate the silence and not just be bored with it. In other words, I think it's hard for everyone to appreciate silence no matter what your situation, unless you constantly work at it.
I'm one of those freaks who leaves the TV on at all times, whether I'm watching it or not. What a dumb thing to do. I can't stand silence most of the time. It makes me uncomfortable... Sometimes I need noise because I feel lonely, sometimes I need it because I don't want to think, sometimes I just need noise because it's a habit. Lately I've been wondering how I expect to hear God with all of this noise around me. Lately I've been wondering if He could fill that lonely gap better than my stupid television... I think I need to make a change. Thanks for the post!
ReplyDelete