Quiet

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J.M.J.

Just looking at this picture makes me feel peaceful. Gaze at it for a moment. Let the whole scene sink in. Now let's examine the quote. "The quieter you become, the more you can hear." Has this been true in your experience? Do you hear more when you're talking or when you're listening? 

I love to talk. This wasn't always the case; I was painfully shy as a child. A sort of spiritual transformation occurred after I made my Confirmation. I feel that the Holy Spirit made my shyness less painful and less apparent. I am still naturally shy, and that is an integral part of who I am, but now conversation is engaging instead of terrifying.

I am learning that part of being a skilled conversationalist is being a good listener. You have to listen more than you talk, I think. The ratio of listening to talking should be 2:1. I'm still working on this. I think that when I was little, I kept everything inside, so now I have an awful lot to say. This may sound weird to extroverts, but it's true!

A side effect of being painfully shy is that you hear a lot because you don't say anything. The conversations swirling around you and all the body language that accompanies it is fully observed by the introvert. Just because someone isn't talking doesn't mean that he or she is shut off from surroundings. On the contrary, this person may pick up more detail than those who are fully engaged socially.

I hope this quote gave you some food for thought. It certainly did for me. It is simple, yet profound. It seems to me that some of the most simple things are the most amazing points. This is because simplicity is important and our souls crave it. Yes, we are complex children of God, but a simple way of life can go a long way down the path of holiness.

God bless you,

Stephanie