Monday, October 26, 2015

The Sound of Silence

Day 26-whisper

Long ago I taught reading, writing, and 'rithmetic to a room full of bright-eyed, eager-beaver, five-year old cuties. If I were pressed to pick my favorite age five would most definitely be it. School is fun! I love my teacher! Watch what I can do! Tell me everything about everything because the world's amazing! Look a butterfly!

I've never been someone who yells, and there's nothing that makes me want to curl up in a corner faster than when I'm the recipient of someone else's raised voice. I was not a yell-er at home, and I never ever yelled in my classroom.

Yelling into a room full of crickets does you absolutely no good, even if they're adorable human crickets cheerfully chirping and hopping their way round your class.

When the noise level rose too high and I needed everyone's attention, raising my voice would have gotten me nowhere. Whispering though? Whispering got my student's attention. It piqued their curiosity. What's happening? Is something good happening? Why is she whispering? What's she saying? Gradually chatter would cease, and you could feel a hush sweep across the room like a soft summer wind. Bodies in motion became still and soon all eyes were on me, ready to hear something that surely must be important. When I whispered into the noise they tuned in and really listened to what I was telling them or instructing them to do.

In 2015 the world is noisy. Can I get an amen? Holy moly, we are full to the brim with sounds and devices and angry voices that distract us and irritate us and eat away at our good intentions. Why is everybody suddenly shouting? When did we become such a short-tempered, angry nation? If I'm not intentional about seeking quiet space in my day I can drown in the world's noise and confusion.

There have been circumstances in my life where God has shouted and I need that sometimes. More often though, He whispers. He speaks softly into the silent spaces that are present in every single day I'm given.


He's present in the beautiful places He spoke into existence like the early morning sunrise or the changing of leaves from green to red. He whispers into all the pockets of time and space where I make room to be quiet and still.

And that's the magic of a whisper.
The only way to hear is to draw near the speaker.

To cease the chatter in your head and let the hush sweep across your heart like a soft summer wind.

5 comments:

  1. Yes, lovely is right, I enjoyed every word of it!

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  2. I have a hubby who is trying to deny his hearing is not so great. Whispering is not an option with him around! Lol Nice post Joyce :)

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  3. In house with an 8 and 4 year old, silence is suspicious. However, I seek my silence during my runs. And when it snows, the silence is astounding.

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  4. Alas, I'm one who (unintentionally?) raises my voice whenever I'm feeling any emotion (good or bad). I envy your strength to keep your voice level.

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