The Courage to be Quiet
Growing up, I struggled to keep my mouth shut. It’s true. I consistently brought home U’s (unsatisfactory) and S-’s (less than satisfactory) on my report cards in early elementary school.
I was a chatterbox, plain and simple. I am sure some of my in-class ramblings were a product of my imagination rather than fact. What better way to get and keep attention?
Eventually, my patient teachers helped me learn to keep my thoughts to myself, at least during class.
There’s pressure nowadays for everyone to have an opinion about everything. When everyone around you has a shareable opinion, it seems necessary to join in the conversation and voice one of your own, regardless of how well-formed it is.
Conversation is the connective tissue of communities.
Meta and X have created an entire attention economy based on people’s desire to share other people’s news. Our connective tissue could consist of information grounded in truth or gossip. It’s our choice.
What if we are shortchanging ourselves and our communities because we are speaking before we are ready?
Our brains need silence to develop ideas and formulate opinions grounded in truth.
Finding silence in a world that thrives on noise requires action. Silence does not appear on your doorstep; you have to seek it out. Once found, it takes time to adjust to the lack of outside stimulation.
One year, I gave up listening to the radio during Lent. This was back in the days when I lived in my car while shuttling kids to and fro. At first, it was uncomfortable. All that extra time in my own head was new. That season, I began to appreciate the quiet and enjoy it as a welcome guest.
Your voice is so very needed right now. Your ideas and opinions are valuable and need to be shared. Thankfully, no report card will be handed out to admonish you for speaking up about an issue that touches your heart.
Standing up and speaking out require a fair bit of energy. If you want to be doing this for the long haul, quiet is your friend. Have the courage to not only invite the quiet but to welcome it in your home. Sit with the discomfort of the reality of what is. Allow your mind to imagine a new world. There, in the silence, the Holy Spirit will speak and inspire you. And then, go and do.
May you have the courage to be quiet.
P.S. If you need some extra inspiration, here you go:
