Silence

The gift of silence: the most wonderful present, and presence, we might possibly give this year, to ourselves and others. 

Doesn’t mean abstinence from speaking, necessarily, although it could. 

(an interesting note: dictionary.com defines abstinence as:

“forbearance from any indulgence of appetite; 

any self-restraint, self-denial, or forbearance; 

the state of being without a drug…on which one is dependent.

I think talking, at times, can definitely qualify as an indulgence of appetite and a drug upon which one is dependent!!)

Silence, then, can simply mean the cessation of speaking one way—one we’ve become accustomed to and have normalized— in favor of another, better, more gracious way. 

copyright Barb Harwood