Sounds of Silence

"Many people say, ‘Who will show us better times?’ Let the smile on your face shine on us, Lord." – Psalm 4

There is an old saying, “Give peace a chance.” To that I say, Amen!

Every now and again I like to get out and about for some peace and quiet. I am not a noise hound. While driving, I don’t listen to radio; while walking I don’t have my music player streaming audio through a headset; while working around the house, I don’t have the telly going in the background. I just like things to be still.

Maybe there is a better word to use than “silence,” because while I do like to be free to think without the constant blather of talking heads, shrill shrieks of advertisers’ promises, and the nerve-jangling assortment of all that passes for music these days, it isn’t exactly silence for which I yearn, but peace.

For instance, there’s a peace in the woods near where we live; it’s a “living” sort of silence. The wind rustles through the trees; the birds sing and squawk their merry melodies; the staccato tapping of local peckers echo all around; rabbits shuffle in and out of the brambles, their sentinel ears twitching and turning to sounds unknown and unheard by this presbycutic* visitor. The woods are alive with nature’s unique, unlimited, and unending symphony.

I don’t know if we appreciate what silence can bring to the party we call life. We are so used to having our space invaded by ring-tones, seasonal music piped over-head as we shop the malls or ride the elevators. Increasingly, we shut out those intrusive sounds with our own world of personalized noise, but at what cost?

For myself, I yearn for time and space in which all is still. Just in the time I’ve tapped out these few paragraphs, my computer and cell-phone have simultaneously alerted me to a half dozen e-mails received; neighbor dogs have barked their warnings to passers-by; an ambulance has made an emergency run with siren blaring; cars and trucks have been rushing to and fro; and military transports and other planes have rumbled overhead on a variety of missions.

I’m not complaining, mind you. That’s simply the world we live in. There’s not much we can do about it – at least not casually – but there are things we can do to improve the environment in which we live.

The first thing we can do is to carve out space in each day where we get away from the many distractions that assault us. While we are accustomed to carrying our cell phones with us wherever we go, there are times we are required to silence them – in court, for instance, or in meetings, or at church. If you want to spend time alone with God, doesn’t it make sense to silence your phone (or turn it off completely)? That is one noisemaker over which you have complete control. Be bold; silence the phone, for your time is sacred.

Secondly, find a place where your connection with God makes the most sense to you. You can spend time with God in the park, library, or church. You can enjoy his presence at the local coffee shop or in the garden. If you look for God, chances are that God will find you! So find your “sacred space” and use it faithfully.

Thirdly, trust the silence that you hear. So often, we fill our world with sound so that we won’t have to face the world of our thoughts. Sad memories; the grief we have suffered; and the grief we have visited on others; all these conspire to separate us from the love of God and neighbor, but more especially they separate us from love and acceptance of who we are – with strengths and failings alike.

These memories return to us time and again because we have not made peace with them. We push them down, hoping against hope that they will go away, but they won’t. They must be uncovered and turned over to God – completely and with no strings attached. We have no secrets from God, only regrets; so give yourself to God, who makes you pure to receive his peace – his face truly smiling upon you in this, our world.

*Presbycusis = loss of hearing due to aging