On Quietness

Musings on the benefits of quiet

On quietness

 

For quite a long while now I have spent much of my time alone. This doesn’t imply that I have been lonely, which is a “feeling of aloneness”, but rather that I am conscious of being solitary and in my own space, even when being say, by myself in an otherwise busy pub.

As a result, I have also become accustomed to not speaking which in turn has revealed to me the value of silence and quietude. I have become more of a listener rather than a talker, am much more aware of what others say and much less prone to expressing my thoughts and opinions. This has resulted in me being able to relate much better to what other people feel. 

I have my own opinions of course and where I have deep-seated convictions and standards that guide me I remain committed to hold on to these. But never at all costs. Staying relatively silent allows me to reflect more intensely on what others say and mean before needing to respond �" if the need to respond surfaces at all.

Having a quiet presence seems to allow me to be more “present” �" to absorb whatever is unfolding in time with heightened awareness. It also gives each passing moment its own mass, its own gravity, which makes the passage of my time more special and valuable. It opens up the potential of the unsaid, the unknown, the space without which creativity cannot flower.

So I welcome solitude and embrace the peacefulness and space that it affords me.

One day there will be nothing.

Now each quiet moment allows the possibility of everything.