Silence Alone is Worthy to Be Heard 

 

There is a place we like to go together a couple of times a year, or more, when our time allows. 

We drive about 3 hours south of our home and then turn right into a red rock canyon. 

 

This quote from Henry David Thoreau Journal dated January 21, 1853, captures the essence of what flows over us as our car comes near this destination.  Silence alone is worthy to be heard.  

 

Can the sun be brighter, and our world become easier as soon as we glimpse this favorite space? 

 

It does seem so!

Silence here is part of the reason. 

 

Times has taught us how to embrace the silence, especially one time on our trip as this happened. 

 

We arrived to find most of the park empty as winter was in full, cold bloom. 

The overnight temperatures were hovering near 0 degrees so at sunrise we bundled up and went to the top of this canyon. 

 

The road was cleared of snow from a recent storm. Some of the trails were open so we hopped out and braved the now 7 degrees. 

 

We were the only ones around. 

It was magical as we walked between hip high walls of snow to the edge of the red rock. 

 

The view from this level always makes us pause and this day we stood with our hoods and zippers up. 

The silence was indeed worthy to be heard.

The silence was indeed worthy to be heard as we waited for our souls to embrace the full calm of the moment. 

 

How did someone know this to be true so many years before we stood in on that edge? 

 

It still makes me pause and perhaps it made Henry David Thoreau pause at that time. 

 

Here is what we found that day. 

 

The cold and silence were combining to create a powerful force that felt like it was seeping into our souls. Then we let it go even deeper. 

We found that this was both invigorating and calming. 

 

As we dropped out of the canyon, there were more chances to stop and listen to the silence at more stops along our drive back to our warm room.

 

That day had me wondering about another level to this piece as I remembered times in the past that silence had not brought this level of calm to any of us in our family. 

A time when noise was always around me.

There was a time when a constant roll of noise was always around me. 

Movies, music and laughter was on a loop in our house. 

 

It was the best of times, and yet I would seek for moments of quiet. 

 

Can you imagine?  Perhaps your answer is yes, and you are in that moment of your life. 

 

The phases and spaces of life are here for each of us, my friends. 

 

Can you describe yours in a thousand words or less? 

 

Silence during that time for me would have brought me to my feet to create sound around me. 

Music could have been one of things turned on quickly to add some pizazz and noise to the day.

The other part of silence.

Here’s the other part with silence. 

It is not always comfortable, can take you to the edge and also be invigorating.

 

Can you feel both sides of it in your life? 

When I do think this, I drive back up to the top of that favorite canyon in my thoughts and bring the mindset back I have worked on. 

 

This has not always been easy to allow and yet I have been able to train my mind and muscles to let the silence come. 

 

I go into quiet reflection and let my thoughts go down rabbit trails, as they will, when the quiet comes. 

 

To let the calm seep into my soul. 

 

It is also time to plan our next trip to this favorite canyon, step into the silence alone that is worthy to be heard and walk to the edge of the magic.