The Wisdom and Folly of Silence

-
Photo Credit: (c) 2018 LMRNeas

I love the early morning when the sun is barely up and the world around me is still sleeping. The quiet rings in my ears, which I suppose means there isn't quiet, but the daily sounds of cars, planes, motors of all sorts and the chatter of people is not present. During this time of day, I can gather my thoughts in prayer, in meditation and for writing.

There are so many words of wisdom that center around silence, that it must be very important. For example:
  • Silence is golden. - Proverb
  • Your silence will not protect you. - Audre Lorde 
  • Silence is the speech of love, The music of the spheres above. -Richard Henry Stoddard
  • Silence is the language of God, all else is poor translation. - Rumi
However, silence can also be a folly. When there is injustice, silence is a form of complicity. When there is abuse, oppression, or cruelty, silence perpetuates the offence. 
"For everything there is a season." How true!  There is a time for silence - for instance, when we need to quiet our minds to discern a problem.  There is a time when we should rise up and speak, also. Now is that time!
The mid-term elections are but just around the corner. This is not a time to be silent!  Voting is a way to speak to the government. If you are a citizen, voting is one of the rights and responsibilities you have. Don't be silent. Speak up and let your voice be heard.

~~~~
May we all break the silence of apathy. May we speak for those who are oppressed, abused, and marginalized. May we speak with heart and soul, not simply intellect. May our words bring comfort, peace, healing, forgiveness and most especially Love.
Blessings to all!

 Further Reading:

 Silence in Relationships

 When to Speak Up

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Whispers

-
Image
Photo Credit: (c) 2018 Linda M. Rhinehart Neas When I was, as my mother would say, a wee sprout, I had my first experience with hearing that soft whisper that has warned me, inspired me, and on occasion, nagged me. Perhaps because I was raised in a household where being "fey" was looked at as normal, I never questioned that this was not real.  I can't tell you what the first thing I "heard" was, but I do remember talking to my mother about it when I was about six years old. We had had a lesson in school where sister had told the class about a saint who heard "the whispers of the angels." I asked Momma if that was who was speaking to me.  I still remember her looking very seriously into my eyes and saying, "Lindy, it might be angels, it might be what artists call the muse, or it might be what some people call, 'the voice of your ancestors or guides.' I don't know, but I do know you need to listen and pay attention to what you he
Read more

Bible Sisters

-
Image
As a child, Bible stories fascinated me. I tried to imagine what it was like to live in times so long ago. Rarely, however, did I ever see any connection to what happened in ancient times with what was happening in my life. After all, my world was close to 2000 years older and far from the lands of Pharaohs and Roman invaders.  As I grew, I learned to see the lessons within Scripture. But, again, I found it difficult to connect to these men who battled giants or spoke eloquent words in the Temple. The only women I remember mentioned were few and far between. How I wished there was more for a woman to connect with in the Bible. A few weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of receiving a copy of Bible Sisters by Rev. Gennifer Benjamin Brooks in the mail. Bible Sisters is a 365-day devotional that includes the well-known women of the Bible (Eve, Sarah, Ruth, Rebecca, Mary, Martha...) as well as those we know little about and who often go unnamed like Hagar or the Widow of Zarephath.
Read more

Review of Gypsy for God by Yvonne Morgan

-
Image
  Ivonne Morgan has crafted an inspiring tale of how a woman blessed with the ability to recreate herself after retirement finds, through a series of epiphanies, the work she has always felt she was born to do.  Gypsy for God is a work of love and faith. This book looks at the dichotomy between privilege, poverty, disease and the horrors of human trafficking.  Kathleen, the protagonist of the book, not only has to come to grips with her own self-doubts and biases, but she also has to deal with a husband who has trouble seeing through her eyes. However, through deep faith and support, she realizes the path she is to follow as she travels the world, visiting various countries that often take her out of her comfort zone, which in turn opens her eyes and heart to the work she is called to do.  Gypsy for God is about asking ourselves those difficult questions and then listening with an open mind and heart to the answers.  I recommend this book, especially for women who are retiring or st
Read more