Silence After a Loss

Is silence “golden?”  I sat on a dock this weekend and listened to the silence. It wasn’t completely quiet. There were bird and frog sounds, but no noise of the city, and no one talking. No radio. No TV. No crowds. It was refreshing.

However when I was confronted by a loss, quiet seemed threatening. I wanted to be surrounded by people to blot out my pain. On the other hand, I found I needed some “alone time” to heal from my great loss. I had to allow myself relief from distractions and noise for a while.

Even a short period of silence can be healing. Guys go out to hunt and fish. They sit and wait in a bush, a deer stand, or a boat. The waiting, the quiet is good. Sitting and thinking is not wrong, even if our culture seems to say every moment must be filled.

In a park, on a porch, or in the woods, one needs to stop, to look, and to listen. Taking time to notice a plant, a leaf, or a sound of a bird can be filled with wonder and discovery. While you are listening to the quiet, know that there is a Being who is near and knows your loss and your pain. Tell it to God, the good one, who loves you. Receive the blessing of quiet peace.