I sit alone, my mind wandering as a slow mournful spanish song plays. My knowledge of the language is limited, I can normally understand a good bit of spoken language, but knowing the words is not important. The trumpets play slowly, tragically. It’s a song of the heart, a sad song. It is amazing how human emotion can transcend culture, a sad look is universal. A tear speaks volumes in any language. The voice of the singer is strained, painful. You can feel that her heart is broken, rather than hear it, or understand it. Sometimes I think we let words get in the way of understanding how other people feel. Maybe we just need to sit with our loved ones, not say a word, and try to really feel what they feel. Maybe we could connect better with those we care about, or maybe we could finally know how we feel.
Have you ever been awake in the early hours of the day? Around three, or four in the morning? Sometimes I am, and I go outside, and stand on the road and look up at the stars. It’s so quiet, so peaceful. And then you feel it. The presence of the Creator. His voice is in the soft breeze, in the low song of the crickets. You can see his face among the stars, and you can know his will without ever speaking. This is a true relationship. A true connection, a model of what we should have with other people. In the still and silence, we should be able to feel those around us. Without speaking a word we should know their pain, their joy, and their elation. Too many times we have lost harmony with one another. We focus on the words, on the act, of life and love. And to make my point, the radio changes songs, to an old country song, “When You Say Nothing At All”.
Of course I am no expert. I can’t seem to make a relationship work for my life. But you know what they say, those that can’t do, teach. I don’t know what is in store for my life, or yours, but I do know that we should relish what gifts we are given. I’ve made that mistake in my life, taking for granted what I have been given. And in doing so I have cost myself, and others a great deal. What great lessons I have learned from the mistakes I have made. So as the music fades, and the silence between songs slowly takes control of the mood, and the MP3 player pulls out another random selection that could potentially change my view on the world, take these few words to heart.
We are given but one chance at this life, one series of moves in this game of chess, and we cannot take back the things we do. With that in mind, know that every word you say, or every time you say nothing at all, can make an impact on yourself, another person, or the world. An image comes to mind of a lone man standing in front of a tank in Tiananmen Square, saying nothing, but stopping an army with just his presence. What image will your life leave? What impact will you have on those who see your wordless picture? What story can your silence tell?
