For someone like myself who relies greatly upon both written and verbal expression, I have been stopped dead in my tracks this week experiencing the immense power of silence and of the limitation of words. It is humbling because in the desperate struggle to string together sentiment I have been left mute. But in this experience I was taught a profound lesson. Once I began to let go of my own selfish need of expression, to understand that anything I say would fall short in my intended meaning and perhaps most of all to get beyond my own discomfort of silence, shared emotions and intimate understanding filled the void. It was a level of communication that couldn’t be reached by putting pen to paper or voice to words.
Life’s lessons often come at seemingly inopportune times. But if we heed them often what feels to be a backward step will prove instead to be a different approach. I have learned that there can be value in silence. That silence is not necessarily the inability to address difficult situations. Rather when shared with those we love most deeply it is a common ground reached and a level of intimate understanding that has value beyond any utterance.
