Q: Like many people, I don’t get much time in silence. I miss that. I have teenagers, and I’m a busy stay at home mom. Is it wrong of me to yearn for quiet and silence sometimes in my life?
A: It’s most often in silence and solitude that we find our most meaningful moments. It is hard for most today, especially busy mothers to find this, much less have it. I tell mothers in my counseling practice to go to bed 15 minutes earlier, and wake up fifteen minutes earlier, at least twice a week and be with the silence. Perhaps you need to go to a special room, or if the weather permits, go outside and just be still. It is essential that you make time to be alone.
Aloneness is not the same as loneliness. When you are alone, which is what you are seeking, you are with yourself. You are clear, you are aware of the fullness of you. You can listen to your inner voice and revel in the stillness. Sadly, technology has robbed our silence and solitude. I was fortunate enough to attend ten-day silent retreats during my post doctorate training. They were some of the most incredible experiences I had – being still enough to go inside as it forces you to go inside.
It’s not quite the same, but you might want to drive in silence (when your teenagers are not with you), and see what that feels like. The best way to experience silence is to get out in nature, in the country, or where ever you can go to feel quiet. It will center you and plunge you into your truth.
Silence is so essential to your health and overall well-being.