By Lois Hewitt

Silence is golden, they say. Silence calms the storm. Unfortunately silence is not in my arsenal and is not part of my skill set.

Oh how I long to be silent. Especially in a world that is never quiet for all the opinions floating through our consciousness.  Everyone has an opinion on this and that, and that includes me.

Sharing viewpoints and having meaningful conversations about important topics is absolutely necessary for the furthering of the human race. But….its become less about sharing insights and more about dominating the conversation.

I have ADHD and Social Anxiety Disorder and discussions with actual human beings scare me so much.  Did I speak out of turn?  Did I speak inappropriately?  Did I speak too much?  Was it too much about me?  These conversations play out in my head all night, every night.

That is why I prefer silence. If I could just keep my mouth shut none of those worries would be materialized. But I don’t and I just keep talking. 

Communication is a major part of being human. It is the way we find connections, ideas, knowledge and understanding. All of those components form and shape a better, healthier society.  A society that thrives and grows and cares.

Today, in our society, I do not see those components in play on a larger scale.  Ideas different than theirs are marginalized and ridiculed.  I see others literally screaming while others are trying to speak.  Their opinions are the only ones that matter.

I have lost many people I thought were friends because they just could not agree with my ideals.

So here we are in a post-modern world. I look around and see separations and divisions everywhere. Communication has changed in nature. My opinions do not feel as necessary.

So I think it’s time I learn silence. I must learn to accept that my believe in God is going to be suspect by some. That the way I see things based on the teachings of Jesus, which  I believe in, are cringe-worthy for some.

I have strong political ideals also, but I am a Christian first and foremost. Both ideals are marginalized in today’s society.

So today I will strive for silence. I listen and catalog all I hear and use God’s gift of discernment to make my life choices. I will speak when it is necessary.  I will not be afraid to stand firm in my convictions. But for all other things, I choose silence. One less voice to muddy the waters.

I’m still working on how to live in this new society of ours. I’ll keep you posted.