The Power of Silence
This entry was posted on May 18, 2012, in Daily Life. Bookmark the permalink. 11 Comments (Edit)
“Silence is more musical than any song.” ~ Christina Rossetti
Whilst my car was in the garage recently, I found myself driving in a different way. Not just because the car was different but because I had no music in my temporary car. The radio didn’t work and on my first drive I forgot to take CD’s with me. As I started the engine, there was the normal whirr of the engine… then nothing except the noise of my indicator and the air con. In the beginning there seemed to be a deafening silence but soon I began to enjoy the peace and quiet. I noticed more things happening around me and I felt wonderfully calm, like I was in no hurry whatsoever and I wasn’t in any hurry (but we often feel rushed even though we’re not). What happened was driving became more than just getting me from A to B, it became a really enjoyable time.
I quite liked being alone with my thoughts without any talking, singing or music. The silence became comforting, like a soft fleece blanket and even when I could see other people in their cars getting uptight, I still felt calm. Their emotions weren’t jumping into me (which usually happens and is one of the downsides to being so sensitive). I thought it was incredible, here I was in what I can only describe as the ‘present moment’ and I was calm and peaceful, compassionate to other people’s concerns but not involved in the emotional intensity. I wondered as I reached my destination if this amazing experience would continue but of course no experience can be recreated exactly. But now I know the true power of silence and I find myself looking forward to my quiet drives. Whilst I’m sure when I’m driving in my car again, I’ll listen to music every so often, I think I’ll find that I still look forward to experiencing the power of silence.
Try it sometime, drive in silence or tidy the house without the radio on. I’m interested to know (in the comments) when you enjoy the power of silence. Fiona,x