Image courtesy of stockimages at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
When Silence Speaks Louder than Words…
We often have a tough time with silence. Put two people in a room and it doesn’t take long for one to say something to the other, and then for the other to say something in return. It’s human nature. Being the social animals we are; the bulk of us like to talk. Moments seem to get awkward when we don’t. But there are times in life, when fewer words said, or none at all, communicate much more than any amount ever could. These are the times when silence speaks louder than words.
English writer Martin Farquhar Tupper (1810-1889) said that a “well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech,” and certainly we would do well to heed this statement when the time is ripe. Such times may be few and far between, but when they arrive, the power of the unspoken far outweighs anything that may be spoken, or for that matter, spring from the fingertips in this age of texting.
Silence denotes finality; it states that nothing more is to be said or done. Anything further would be repetitious of words gone by, and a precious loss of energy and time. Silence brings depth to that which has already been said. It conveys the seriousness with which the speaker already spoke, and it demonstrates that what was once said was meant. It conveys the message of lost opportunity, and with that, releases that what once was.
Practicing this isn’t easy. It requires self-discipline (see Self-Discipline: The Cornerstone of Meaningful Action…), and if used in a thoughtful manner, it requires strength of character. We tend to react or jump at anything sent our way, and not give thought to our actions, but silence with purpose is the opposite. It’s calm, it’s reflective, and it’s thoughtful. However, if used as a ploy, a tool or a willful act of manipulation, then it’s nothing less than an empty act of a lost soul.
So it’s crucial that we respect silence, and the message that it sends. Is it a message of caring and thought, or is it just another message from someone neither here nor there. The former derives from a place of thoughtfulness; the latter derives from a place of thoughtlessness. The former is to be treasured; the latter is to be dismissed.
Human interaction is curious at the best of times, and we never know for certain why someone acts the way they do. We all have our reasons for doing the things we do, but it’s essential to remember that actions have consequences, whether intended or not. And as much as many of us may think that silence isn’t an action, we must think again, for silence is one of the most powerful actions out there, and it speaks louder than many a word…
For more, check out The C.A.T. Principle: Change, Action, Trust – Words to Live By, a Global Ebook Awards GOLD First Place Winner for Best Non-Fiction Self-Help Ebook of 2014, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble. See the latest Amazon reviews here.
Sign up above and receive this blog once every two weeks to your inbox. Comments and thoughts welcome.