Dear Editor,
Silence may or may not be golden. You may be hungry for a little bit of silence or terrified of the quiet. Silence can be deafening, but it all depends on the circumstances.
Often the noise of the world and all that is going on can be overwhelming. We may all have moments when we are on information overload. We can’t take any more and we have to turn off the television, the social media, text messages and so on. Almost daily I block three or four phone numbers who are sending me more and more unrequested information.
Our lives can be noisy and cluttered. We may have vocational overload plus home noise that we deal with daily. You may have a house filled with children and lots of other relatives you hear from daily. You may be involved at church or have other social connections that fill up your life. Your quiet moments may be rare. You long for a quiet peaceful day that seems to be far removed from you.
Most likely, the day will come. Children grow up and they have their own busy lives. The people at church move on. The others you used to talk to are gone or doing something else. The quietness may be more than you really want. I have been in too many nursing homes where people sat staring quietly into space buried deep in thoughts of past happier times.
The reality is that we all need some quiet time to sort out our thoughts. Our brains need a rest. We need time to talk to God and to talk to ourselves. We need time to just sort through our thoughts and to reflect and make good decisions. So, there is a plus side to silence, but we don’t need it 24/7.
While you may be having a quiet moment here is something serious for you to think about. Do not overstock on Halloween candy. By all means, do not load up on candy that you like because you will end up eating most of the candy. Buy only what you can give away. Halloween is the official beginning of the big weight gain season. For the next ten weeks people decide they are going to eat like crazy and then diet on January first. It’s your call. However, while you are quiet determine to not buy so much candy for Halloween.
Also, in your quiet time think about who you are going to vote for on election day. Take a look at the candidates. Look at who they are and how they have lived and what they have done. Look at what the candidates stand for and what they believe. The political noise is deafening. We are bombarded daily by political campaign rhetoric. Consider what they represent and if they will make our country and community better. How does their election impact you? Give some thought to your vote which is coming up very soon.
Don’t be too afraid of the silence. We can call each visit. Make visits, text and so forth. Also keep in mind that we are never really alone. God is with us and closer than our next breath. Let His presence comfort you and give you peace.
Dr. Glenn Mollette
