Snow and the beautiful sound of silence
As everyone knows, we got a little snow here in the DC area this weekend. About 30″ worth. I work at home and my kids are homeschooled, so such large amounts of snow don’t really affect our daily routine. But one of the things I love about the snow is the silence it brings. Not only does the snow dampen all surrounding noise, but it also dramatically diminishes the traffic, which leads to more silence.
Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, VA
Yesterday morning I was out early shoveling my driveway and quite enjoying this silence. Then my neighbor came out to shovel his driveway, wearing an ipod. The volume was so loud that I could hear every word of the song he was listening to (and to make matters worse, it was a Duran Duran song. Ugh). It got me to thinking about how noisy our world is today. From ipods to radios to TVs to the Internet, we have a device with us at all times which will push some noise into our ears. And the biggest danger of all this noise is that it drowns out the still, small voice of God.
God is the Lord of all Creation and He is the Alpha and the Omega. With one Word He can create and destroy. Yet He is a low-talker. We can only hear Him if we are silent.
What are some practical ways in which we can make our lives more silent? Here are seven I thought up:
1) Turn off the car radio.
For many of us, the car radio is always in one position: ON. We can’t imagine driving somewhere without listening to either music or talk radio. But in all honesty, is there anything you listen to in the car that is that important? Would not that time in the car be a great time to reflect on life?
2) Get up early.
Too often we get up and are immediately rushing around to get out the door. But what if we got up 15 or 30 minutes before usual and spent that time in silence, perhaps meditating on the Gospel for the day? Early morning is the quietest time of the day, both externally and internally.
3) Abstain from media once a week.
I have mentioned before that I abstain from the Internet once a week. Another thing we can do to bring silence into our lives is to abstain from all media – radio, ipod, TV, Internet – for a day (Sunday being a natural choice). Just spend an entire day with the only noise being other human beings you are in physical contact with. It seems radical, but is it really so hard to comprehend?
4) Turn off the “background” TV.
Many people have a TV in their kitchen or workshop which they have on in the background while they do some other task, such as preparing dinner or working on a project. However, one of the best times to focus your thoughts is when you are active with monotonous work. This is the tried and true method of monks, and it can work for those outside the monastery as well.
5) Take a hike.
Something I only discovered a few years ago is the silence of nature. Going on a hike in the woods – sans ipod – is a wonderful way to clear your head of the noise of the modern world.
6) Go on a retreat.
Every Christian should go on retreat on a regular basis. In the Catholic tradition, retreat usually means “silent retreat”. I have found that when I go on retreat it takes me a whole evening just to “detox” from the pace and noise of the world. But once I do, I am able to more clearly hear the voice of the Lord in my life.
7) Pray the rosary.
Really, any prayer will do, but praying the rosary is a particularly “silent” prayer. I have found nothing that is better for focusing my thoughts and allowing me to listen for the voice of the Lord.
Whatever you choose to do, try to find time every day for silence, for it is then that you are most likely to hear the most wondrous noise of all: the voice of the Lord.
Excellent ideas all. A few follow-up thoughts:
1). “Weekend Luddite”. This is an idea I saw elsewhere, and I’ve found it really beneficial (inasmuch as I’ve been able to stick to it). The idea is no electronic devices on the weekend between breakfast and dinner/supper. I originally just restricted myself from the computer during that time, but it’s even better if you stay away from TV, iPod, &c. Even better if you can stay off the phone, although I usually make an exception for the land-line. Cell phone, of course, should be turned to its off position. Well worth the try.
2). Getting up early – I second your suggestion with enthusiasm. The early morning is the quietest part of any 24-hour day. People will stay up late into the night but only crazy people (and Christians seeking some peace) get up early voluntarily. It’s a good time to pray, read, stare out the window, whatever. Be careful not to get too enthused with it to the detriment of other areas. I speak from experience. If you’re too tired at 7:30 p.m. to be a good husband or father, then things may be out of balance a little.
3). Praying any part of the Divine Office (or Liturgy of the Hours), in any of its various forms. Same idea as the Rosary – if not as quiet, still time spent with the Psalms is always time well spent and you never know when God might give you a few moments of true contemplation. This was as integral to those wise old desert monks as the manual labor.
Thanks for the post. A good reminder. I too am enjoying the snow, for similar reasons.
Great thoughts. I am reminded of Mother Teresa: “We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature – trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
She also said something to the following effect, which I love – that the silence of Jesus in the womb of Mary “cries out” to the Christian for the discipline of silence.
My home is now silent too, in the middle of the day, since I made all the kids go play in the snow. Whatever works.
I came to embrace silence several years ago, as I struggled to escape a stress disorder.
Even EWTN became ‘noise’! We do not have television and I don’t listen to the radio, but we do have several computers, which can be every bit as bad.
I think taking holidays from media is a grand idea. I am trying to tell my kids that silence will not kill them.
Up here, snow is no novelty, but I will vouch for the evening walk on a not-too-cold, clear night. Even talking somehow seems quieter. Even better is having a very light snow falling. The silence is like velvet.
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