I love these words: silence holds immense value. Or as Ram Dass said, “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.”
I have told many people the story about sitting in silence at Little Sisters of the Lamb Monastery and hearing God talk to me. When people ask me more questions or want details, I tend to get a little befuddled. I don’t know what happened, I just know I heard someone or something speaking to me. I heard a voice telling me you only have this one life, don’t wait, go, do, now, this is an urgent matter. A month later, I started a master's degree in counseling that would take me four brief (OMG) years to complete.
I love the Arabian proverb, “The tree of silence bears the fruit of peace.” On this day, I am certain I was the recipient of this fruit. The fruit of peace. The fruits of sitting in silence long enough to hear the universe, to hear Jesus, to hear my heart communicating with my tangled brain.
I love giving my school kids permission slips to go and sit in the chapel in silence. I never prescribe prayer, just silence.
Go and do nothing. Look at the ceiling. Pick your nose. Wiggle your toes. Close your eyes.
I don’t care. Let the silence do some work in your life. You have worked hard enough for now. Go and let the silence do some work on you now.
But first, give me your phone. The silence will be more effective if I have your phone.
Comments