Silence

"I am just reminded that in between all the busyness, just like between every breath, is a piece of silence." ~Mary Morrissey

How have you felt the silence in between your breath today? Silence is a luxury we often take for granted, especially in our busy culture. We are so encouraged to go, go, go that we forget to stop, pause and rest. Activity is important, but I am convinced that it is those times of rest, the silence in between our busy moments, that shape our lives.

As a musician and piano teacher, I am very aware of the power of a rest in music. In music, the definition of a rest is a 'sign of silence'. It's these moments that shape the piece and give it character. In those brief moments, it allows clarity, understanding, contemplation and evaluation of where the piece is going.

As a photographer, the pause allows me to "see" the photo that has presented itself to me. The pause is essential to my sight in photography. And I am continually amazed by just how much can get captured in that brief moment after the pause. Many times I don't even realize the beauty and depth in the photo until many moments later and I can't help but experience gratefulness that I had taken the moment to pause, feel the moment, and listen.

What if it's true that our brief moments of silence are golden and that they shape our lives in profound ways? It's always interesting to me how much of a difference it makes when my students observe rests as opposed to ignoring them the way a busy person might ignore a stop sign. When they don't stop and pause, the song feels unbalanced, shaky and like it could fall apart at any moment. When they observe the rest signs, their songs sound purposeful, grounded and flowing.

Just as I encourage my students to practice, I invite you to practice observing the rests in your life. In between your busy breaths, pause and feel the beautiful piece of silence. It's not an empty silence. That moment, albeit brief, is full of amazing information and direction for your life.

Why not start now? Ready? Rest... Ah... didn't that feel good? Keep practicing and let yourself be amazed at what reveals itself to you!

On this topic, I want to invite you to my wife's art show at Mercy Hospital appropiately entitled "Stop, Feel and Listen". Viewing art can be a wonderful way to practice observing our moments of silence. Her art will be featured from March 6 - April 3. Check out her blog: www.melissamariecollins.blogspot.com for more information.

Enjoy your moment of silence! :)