The value of silence

This morning I came across a little article called "Transforming the world through silence". Here's an excerpt:

We live in an unhealthy society of noise. No matter where we turn in our daily lives, noise can be found in abundance. As a health-care worker, I fear that we often become immune to the noise around us, but it is taking its toll on our lives.

We now know from experts that the noise of our daily lives is harmful to our health and it is recognized as an environmental pollutant.

Silence, on the other hand, has many benefits, yet it seems rare and infrequent in our busy lives. Silence takes time, discipline and commitment.

We generally need to physically move to another place or space to be quiet and still for even a brief period of time.

Thomas Merton, the late Trappist monk and author, once said, "Silence is not a luxury, it is a necessity." It is unfortunate that we don't take daily advantage of solitude and silence.

Silence is much more than a noise-free environment. Silence is the foundation of balance and tranquility. It heals the heart, builds and sustains relationships and has the possibility of healing our broken and turbulent world.

Do what you can to give yourself the marvelous gift of silence. It will, indeed, transform you.