“Why don’t we spend the evening in complete silence? We can use sign language and non-verbals to communicate. Wouldn’t that be fun?”
Eric pitched this idea to me when we were planning how to spend one of our free evenings together. As a woman who works from home, the idea of having no conversation at night freaked me out a bit. We did not end up doing it (due to my reticence), but I wonder if maybe the idea is a good one after all – as long as I can plan to talk to friends beforehand so I don’t burst!
Most people in our culture are not suffering from a lack of noise. If anything, we could benefit from some routine quiet times just to collect our thoughts and clear our minds from all the stress and chatter. Even commercials get to me after a while. Someone is always talking, and very little actually gets said which is worthwhile. Could we possibly communicate better if we stopped talking so much?
Today is the perfect time to put that question to the test. Give your mouth and your ears a break and enjoy some silence in some of the following ways:
- Take some time to rest your eyes, mouth, and mind. Close your eyes and see where your mind takes you. Think about pleasant days from the past. Consider where you want to go in your future. Contemplate what you like in your life and what you want to change. Or, think about puppies, pretty clouds, or nothing at all. Your body and your mind need rest.
- Take some time to just be together without noise. Read a book, enjoy soaking up some sun, or take a quiet walk. Hold hands and let the sounds of nature do the talking. Silence can be therapeutic. We have noise thrown at us all day long. We need to clear our minds and regroup. Silence in moderation is good for us, and it is good for our relationships.
- Take some time to honor the lives of loved ones who have passed on. Quietly remember them and what they offered you and the world. Reminisce about precious days you have spent together and consider the legacy they left you. How is your life forever changed because of them?
- Take some time to work on a private sign language. This is super fun. Eric and I have a sign language which evolved over time and we have a blast with it. We usually end up smiling or laughing at our silliness, but it keeps us close and it keeps us young. Try it. You’ll probably like it. ~smile~ (/\/\ /\/\)
- Take some time to meditate on God’s word in silence. Shut out the world’s clamor and listen for Him to speak to your heart. Some days, I fantasize about spending a week at a cabin on a lake with just my Bible and maybe a notebook. No phones. No televisions. Just God, His Word, and a peaceful setting. There is so much noise in our lives, some of our choosing and some not; but, with all the voices swirling around in our minds, it is hard to hear God speak to us. Take some quiet time and get alone with God. He wants to speak to His children more than we want to listen (that is a tremendous thought… perhaps He is not hiding His will from us as much as we are too distracted to listen?).
We hope you emerge from this experience refreshed with an even stronger relationship. If you and your sweetie do choose to spend some time in purposeful silence, we would love to hear about your experience and what you learned from it!
How will you and your love incorporate some quiet time into your relationship?