Silence, please!!!!!

Tuesday morning, September 23, 2008 [sunny and 630],
My mother-in-law was quite a character, to put it mildly. To be sure, one never had to wonder what she was thinking because she was quick to tell you, and she would do so with little (if any) regard for your opinion of what she was thinking. Strangely, however, she did not talk just to be talking; if she had something to say, she said it, otherwise she kept quiet.
I can remember several (actually, many) occasions, when we would be in the car, on our way to some destination, and she would ride silently for miles—never speaking a word. After a bit of this silence, I would ask, "Blanche, why are you so quiet?" Her response was always the same: "I have nothing to say and I am saying it!"
Actually, these are virtuous traits: the freedom not only to say what needs to be said, but also the freedom to be silent when nothing needs to be said. Somehow, however, we have been convinced that words are more important than silence; consequently, most of us are not free to be silent. It is almost impossible for us to believe that our silence is often more persuasive, more powerful, than our words, which is probably why most of us prefer "talking" over "listening."
Have you ever noticed how you feel after having a long discussion with someone, a discussion where many words are used? Have you noticed that most of these long discussions leave you wishing you had left sooner, or had avoided the discussion altogether? Some salespersons, for example, never learn this truth; instead, long after they could have "closed the deal" they are still talking and end up "losing the deal." To be sure, most preachers NEVER learn this truth (yes, I am guilty as charged!) and continue babbling long after the listeners have stopped listening (actually, I think God takes his naps during these times of nonsensical babbling, and I am certain that many church-goers do).
If you have been watching the political scene of late, you realize that long, loquacious answers to simple straightforward questions usually means that the person is attempting to avoid answering the question because of his concern for the opinion of others. In other words, taking a stand will be costly, so rather than providing a brief, honest answer, he rambles on-and-on about nothing, honestly (although foolishly) thinking that words are more persuasive, more powerful than silence.
Someone once said that it is far better to keep your mouth shut and let people wonder about the degree of your sanity, than to open it and make the truth painfully evident. Anyway, I think each of us would probably benefit from talking less and listening more (attentively).
I feel sure that what you or I have to say is important but I doubt that it is as important as we think it is, surely, not as important as our silence would be (at least most of the time).

Silence is golden, or to say that another way, quiet is a priceless gift!