The Sound of Silence

As I sit here in my kitchen, the only sounds that I hear are the whirring of the laptop fan and the ticking of my fingers on the keyboard. The refrigerator isn't making any strange noises, the phone isn't notifying me of new emails, and the washing machine sits empty. It's the sound of silence.

I haven't always appreciated silence like I do now. When I would study in high school and college, I always had music playing. I remember my mother asking me, "How can you concentrate on what you're reading when you have someone singing in the background?" I didn't know how to respond because I didn't know the answer. It just didn't distract me. 

After we came back from overseas and Peter left for work each day, I went back to being by myself in the house. It was so quiet. At first, I had music playing all day long. I had the remote stored next to the phone so that I could hit "pause" if someone called. I can't pinpoint the moment when the change came, but I know it was during my first few weeks of working at the pharmacy.

After eight hours of chatter, yelling customers, and ringing phones, the thing I looked forward to the most was getting in my quiet car and driving home. After particularly difficult days, I would close the drivers door, lay my head against the steering wheel and cry. Crying became the sound of frustration. I would pull myself together enough to drive home, where I would often sit in the driveway behind our house and soak in the silence. 

When I quit the pharmacy in May, I made the assumption that I would fall back into my old habits of playing music all day long. Instead, what I have discovered is that in the silence, I sense the prodding of the Holy Spirit. I have a new appreciation for the command in Psalm 46, "Be still, and know that I am God". I talk to Him as I watch the magnificent little hummingbird who visits my trumpet vine, each and every day, and I give praise to my Creator.

While I always have been, still am, and always will be a fan of music, I have also learned to appreciate the moments of quiet. Sure, you can still find me belting out "He is alive!" with Dolly Parton or dancing to "Sing! Sing! Sing!" while I'm cooking dinner, but you can also find me sitting quietly with God's Word or staring out at the sunrise between the trees in the backyard. There is beauty and peace in both.

How about YOU?

Music enthusiast or fan of silence? Or perhaps a bit of both?