Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Can you feel the silence?




Can you feel the silence, can you feel the silence
Hymns to the silence. Hymns to the silence
Van Morrison



There is an assortment box of silence

filled with many notes

to feel,

to hear,

to touch,

to taste,

to inhale.


it can be a well deserved moment at the end of a busy interactive day
gone is the incessant buzzing of flourescent lighting above your work place
an ahhhhhhhhh silence as you gather your reflections over a cup of tea
in peace

it can be a sharp stinging slap of shame brought on by
quaking timorous vibes

the finger pointing guilt producing pain in the gut
called the silent treatment

it can be unencumbered sharing of space

a welcome comfort between two friends
where unspoken feelings are known
as an expression of trust without words


it can be a broken misfiring of silence
from passive aggressive wounds
inescapable, unsettling, and loudly obnoxious
the squeezing of calm, leaving heavy air


it can be an intimate love affirming moment
with only whispered breaths filling the room
the escaping of noisy world demands
and into a silently shared bliss

it can be a deep internal stillness
away from the honking, howling, hurtling noise of the streets
thoughtful prayer of meditation, contemplation
A heartspoken hymn to the silence

peaceful, destructive, sorrowful, blissful, pitiful, loving, enlightening, encumbering, contemplative. silence is paradoxical. and yet, we should seek it out whenever we can, even when it is hurtful and uncomfortable, because it always brings new awareness.

this is my new learning.......painfully grasped by the silent treatment



10 comments:

Prerona said...

beautiful. loved the last bit the best. its hurtful to get the silent treatment, but maybe its better than an out and out shouting war :)

The Harbour of Ourselves said...

sometimes god's silence is deafening

paris parfait said...

Powerful piece, Dana.

X said...

This reminded me of the park near my house. I go there for silence...because sometimes....that's just want you need.

Great writing.

awareness said...

ricercar.....thanks. I'm actually better at handling the shouting war than the silent treatment. It's torture for me.

Paul......What?

oh...sorry.....couldn't resist.

Yes it is amazing how much of a racket He can make.

thanks Tara.....interestingly, I had every intention of writing about "words" today...the power of words. And while I was composing it in my head, the thought of trying to describe silence popped in and took over my creative thinking. Once I started looking at the different times when silence happens.....the descriptives showed themselves. Like most of what I post, it is unedited.

K.....we all need a place like that. I often head down to the river very close to my office at lunchtime for the same thing. I find water helps me. thank you. good to see you.
Who are you cheering for in the playoffs? Me? I'm cheering for the Sabres.

Shaz said...

Dana, simply wonderful. xx

Disillusioned said...

I empathise so much with this, Dana, both now and in my childhood, and I am sorry you are seeing the harsher side of silence. words can hurt, but sometimes I think silence is even more harmful. On the other hand, part of me craves silence at the moment, and relishes it. the meaning behind the silence is the determining factor.

awareness said...

Hi Shaz........I hope you're feeling well! Will "visit" you and catch up soon.

Caroline......for me, if i can hear the words, then I have a better understanding of what I'm contending with. However, the silence I have experienced has truly been an eye opener. Though it felt like a big deafening gong, I somehow managed to learn the lesson. And that's a good thing. As Pip so wonderfully espouses....learning doesn't happen in the land of comfort. :)

You know when the best silence time is?? In the garden :)

Anonymous said...

Your posts have been taking my breath away lately.
Your writing is a gift and the images that you pair with the words are amazing.
Your writing makes me smile and think.

St. Kevin & the Blackbird said...

Doesn't Van also say in this song something like, "And in between the music there was silence"? Maybe its from "Hyndford Street" - not sure. Love that album, those songs, and you folks.
-R