“If you’re silent for a long time, people just arrive in your mind.” –Alice Walker
It’s true. They do.
I notice much in people around me that many disregard the gold that can be found in pure silence. Whether you’re all by yourself, or in a group of friends – or at work. Much can be said and heard in silence.
Next time you’re home alone – – turn off the television, radio and computer and just hang out in silence. You’ll be pleasantly surprised (or maybe not) at the thoughts and ideas that just pop into your head.
Next time you’re with a group of people – friends or at work – try zipping the lip for a little while, sometimes you’ll be amazed at the kinds of thoughts and ideas you can provoke from someone just by responding to them with a period of silence.
Next time you’re in an argument with a friend or loved one – – or in a heated debate with a blogger…try the silence routine. I’d love to see the statistics on those phrases and views that may have never been voiced at all if the person on ther other side weren’t met with a moment or two of silence.
I use silence quite a bit in job interviews – when I’m interviewing new prospects. I ask them a pointed question…ya know, the usual stuff like “Give me an idea of one issue that might cause an ethical dillema for you at work”. Then I listen to their response. When they are done…and they are looking at me, expectantly for my own response — I give them that golden moment of silence. More often than not, they expand on their thoughts and views without really being provoked or prodded to – – and it is then that I usually get to the meat of their answer and idea.
It’s those “Might-not-have-been-saids” that silence brings out in people.
Just a thought.
So true – we need the silence. Sometimes in my car I purposely turn off the radio and roll my windows up for the quiet and just to reflect.
That’s a good time for silence. I do that someitmes – – not very often, though.
My favorite quiet time is when there is no one else in the house, but me. Off goes the TV, radios, computers..I just love to absorb the silence. It’s rare – which is why I enjoy it so darn much.