The Sound Of Silence
And the biggest life-changing lessons learned from hearing nothing
If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is there to hear it, did it really fall?
Sting was in my ears.
Technically, it was Sting and Shaggy singing "Just One Lifetime", and man, every single word just pulls you deeper into that song.
But also, technically, Sting WAS in my ears.
I realized the wind had stopped.
So I stopped.
I took out my earbuds (sorry Sting and Shaggy) and listened.
To nothing.
You see, that whole "tree falling in the forest" bit really alludes to sound and lack of sound, but the thing is…
I was there.
I heard the sound of silence, and it was magnificent.
So I thought I'd share a few thoughts I learned from listening to silence in hopes that somewhere along the line, you too will intentionally seek the sound of, well, nothing.
A deep silence, a silence that can only be heard, is the sound of the universe having no beginning
After I removed my earbuds, I sat down. No seat, no tree trunk, no rock. I just sat down right there on the snow, and that sentence emerged.
The sound was as if I could hear the beginning of all time.
Of the universe even.
The thing is, what I heard was really just wonderment about where and when the universe did actually begin?
The sound was that profound.
I seek out that sound each time I'm walking on this arctic island.
Each.
Time.
In the absence of sound, we begin to hear ourselves
A quiet moment gives us space to reflect on our own thoughts and grow closer to the most beautiful person in the universe.
Yourself.
When I couldn't hear the beginning of all time, of the universe, I turned inward.
Call it introspection…
Call it introversion…
Call it being inside one's head…
All I know is that the sound of silence was deep and massive. I discovered so much space to just be.
I'm sure you know what I mean.
It's that space where nothing else matters except you and whatever flies through your mind, your heart, your soul.
Beautiful, I say.
Those moments in time to reflect did more for me than any damn weekend get-aways will ever do.
Ever.
Solitude can help you find your own voice, which will make you more confident in who you are
This piece that you're reading is a direct result of that moment with Sting and Shaggy. It's a direct reflection of what can emerge if we allow ourselves the gift of listening to silence.
You don't need to be a writer to capture it. You just need to give yourself permission to weave yourself into these moments and simply to this.
Revel and receive.
Find your voice in the silence.
Being alone is a privilege, and it's something you should cherish
We can be alone in a crowd.
And we can be alone in the silence.
Either way, to have that time with yourself and your thoughts is indeed a privilege. One that we ought not to take for granted.
When I'm back to life as I know it and I simply cannot get-away, I take a moment to close my eyes and imagine that moment of sitting in the snow, eyes closed and head raised to the sky, deep breath of cold arctic air, and again…I am alone.
Cherish those moments.
And finally
The sound of silence conveys a feeling that words can't express. It's a feeling one gets when we realize that silence is its very own sound. It's very own pleasure.
It makes us stop and think about the present moment.
The sound of silence. One of the many wonders of the world and a gift we can give ourselves.
I hope you find yours.
About the Creator
Rick Martinez
I help CEOs & entrepreneurs write & publish books that give them authority & legacy | Bestselling author | Former CEO turned ghostwriter |
California born, Texas raised.
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