Today I’m the black sheep in Five Minute Friday, a writing community that freewrites for five minutes on a prompt. No editing. (It’s a terrific launching point, but I’m a total rule-breaker! I freewrote for about twenty minutes and then edited.) Today’s prompt: Silence.
In silence – that’s typically how I write. Not today. I’m sitting in a back booth of Panera with an unlidded steaming tea and my laptop, tapping at keys like someone posing as a real writer. (Wait, Halloween’s already over…)
Music plays through speakers, persons chat in booths nearby, and light foot traffic passes. It’s between breakfast and lunch – a quiet lull, relatively speaking. A Panera worker pauses and looks my way,
“Well, how we doin’ in the boonies?”
I smile and wonder how to respond. I decide on a safe, “Good.” He’s satisfied and jaunts on his way.
I’ve been wracking my brain for something, anything about pondering “silence.” The morning I received the word prompt, it was silent. My husband had left for work and the kids were playing outside in a hushed world dusted lightly with snow. It must have been enough to absorb normal traffic noise.
As I reached for a coffee mug, I saw one of my favorites with Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know I am God.” I noticed, for the first time, it did not say, “Be silent and know I am God.” But then – nothing. (Maybe I needed more coffee.)
But multiple cups of coffee and tea later, nothing profound has surfaced regarding thoughts about silence. So that’s my takeaway.
Silence and profoundness are not equal. Silence might be the right answer to keep me from looking like an ignorant fool, but sometimes it’s worth the risk for a higher cause. And while I was convinced I needed silence to hear my own thoughts – maybe that’s not true.
What new thing do you need to struggle through to examine a long-held belief? How could you be limiting the adventure God might want to take you on? Will you give yourself permission to be in whatever stage you’re in – whether noisy or silent – and experiment to see where it takes you?
Let me know in the comments your thoughts on silence or the lack thereof!
Pearl, when my kids were small, I craved silence. No matter how I planned, maneuvered, structured, coerced, organized, etc. my day, there was no quiet time. I often resolved to stay up late after the family went to bed, but I was too tired. Then I resolved to get up early ahead of the family, but I was too sleepy.
Now I have lots of silence . . . and I start wanting the grandkids to drop by!
Debbie, I appreciate your perspective. It helps to know all the stages are temporary; it helps even more to talk with someone who’s been there, empathizes, and lends wisdom! 🙂
As a person who values… even needs silence or quiet to balance my inner self, what leapt out at me today was the verse that you quoted from the Psalmist “Be still and know that I am God.” Yes, be still. Stop. Just stop sister. When life is crazy around me, when it’s not noise but chaos that sifts through my being at work or wherever, I don’t need silence. I need to just stop and “be still.” I. Need. To. Be. Still. And in those moments, know that God is there, that it is not silence I need to calm my inner self but his presence. Allow that to sift through and calm the chaos. Then move onward, soldier and carry on.
“…It is not silence I need to calm my inner self but his presence.” Yes, yes, and more yes! I appreciate your comment on so many levels. ? Hugs!!
Ah yes. Examination is scary but so worth it! Great job, Pearl! Good challenge to continually check and make sure our beliefs line up with God’s word. 🙂
Thanks for your sweet comment, Ruth. You’re an inspiration in this 5-minute world! I appreciate your thoughts at https://ruthlverkaik.wordpress.com/