An Observation of Silence

By Ryan Jamison, Marketing Manager

This morning it’s raining.

It’s cold, and grey, and generally miserable.

It’s one of those mornings where I would almost have preferred to stay in bed.

But I didn’t.

I climbed into my little Silverado and headed for work.

As I’m writing this, today is a Thursday, and I am just a little bit surprised this morning about how fast that happened. It seems like just yesterday it was Monday. Of course, that’s silly, it was obviously Wednesday, but it feels like the last three days all happened in a blink. It’s amazing how sometimes the days fly right by.

And as I’m pondering these thoughts, I suddenly realize that I’m a little bit uncomfortable.

Something is missing this morning.

Usually, I would have my AirPods in with a podcast playing. Or the radio is going with some music. But this morning, I don’t.

It’s silent.

Now that I am aware of the silence, it feels awkward. I have a strong urge to change the situation. To quickly turn on the radio to any station at all. Anything to distract me from the thoughts now rattling around in my brain like dice in a tin can.

But, there is another voice as well. Prompting me to fight that urge and just be in that silence for a while this morning.

And I think, “maybe I can do that.”

For just a little while, I can leave off the noise and distractions and just sit in the moment.

Be with my own discomfort for a while.

And at first, it is exactly that.

Uncomfortable.

Awkward.

Then, it changes a bit.

The hustle and bustle and whirl of it all melt away. And like someone finally letting off the fast-forward button, time seems to wind down to a more manageable pace.

It brings a certain peace with it. There is a kind of balance between the discomfort of being with my thoughts and the now calmer feeling pace of the morning.

A weight that I am not sure I realized was even there seems to lift off of my shoulders a bit.

It is almost too easy sometimes to let the noise and busyness in our lives distract us from the passage of time. Pushing us through days like a whirlwind. Days that we don’t get back and sometimes can’t even remember.

Just think. When was the last time that you took a moment to pause? To sit with yourself in silence? To just breathe and take in this incredible creation that we are both in and a part of?

Maybe turning the radio off once in a while isn’t such a bad thing.

I pull into the parking lot at work now, feeling somewhat rejuvenated and maybe a bit more relaxed than I have the past few days.

Oddly thankful for a little bit of awkward silence.

Have you felt that way lately? Like the days are passing by too quickly, or life is piling on one stress after another? Maybe consider taking a moment to hit that pause button and just sit for a while with yourself.

It can be a little uncomfortable.

But also, a little nice.