When Silence Speaks Loudly.
Some of you might recall an incident like this.
You and a ‘special friend’ have been invited over to baby sit the neighbours children. Everything is laid out, the food is prepared for them and for you. The youngsters are amenable and go to bed on the second time of asking, which is pretty good actually.
Which just leaves you and your ‘special friend’ to watch some TV and wait for the neighbours to get home. You’re young, perhaps in your teenage years and you both feel things pretty strongly. Surely a quick snog wouldn’t go astray. I mean it's not like you're actually hurting anyone, right?
And so by entirely mutual consent, with a racing heart and a little clumsily…
And then all of a sudden there is the swing of headlights up the driveway. Two car doors shut, the front door opens and you and your friend are now at opposite ends of the settee, furiously, studiously, watching an absolutely fascinating documentary on the mating habits of the praying mantis in deepest darkest Africa. Riveting and compelling viewing!
Your hosts aren’t fooled for a moment. The frisson in the room is grabbable. Once upon a time they too were teenagers. This is why they have kids for you to babysit.
But bless em, they don’t say anything about the obvious and instead politely ask if the children ate all their vegetables.
It occurs to me that some of the finest things are said loudly in silence. Looks of forgiveness, looks of longing, the firm handshake, the blushing baby sitters at opposite ends of the couch.
Why do we feel that we have to fill up silence with words and shrieks and chatter? Silence has always been far more articulate and effective in her ‘speech’ than noisy words. May silence continue to speak loudly.