Saturday, September 14, 2019

The gift of silence

I recently finally understood why I loved flights so much ( besides the amazing views). I love it for its inaccessibility. For a while, you are literally away (above) from the world. I mostly believe in solitary flights and window seats. So its just you and the endless clouds and some landscapes as you leave or reach them. I love the lift offs. Not so much the landings. I love the idea of being in the sky. Flying. I even love the much hated flight food. I cherish the silence, literal and in the mind that one experiences. It is the one public transport where people do not generally chatter. It is the one time noone can reach you. For a while one is away from everything. And there is no sense of guilt, responsibility or expectation. It's a unique freedom in today's fast paced world. So yes, my idea of every ideal holiday is with flights :)

Recently I experienced such silence on an away evening. The meetings were done for the day. I walked to my room, visiting a church, shopping a little, losing and finding my way about a few times. When I finally reached, I knew the evening was just mine. I felt no need for TV, music or even the phone. I kept them away. Silence was blissful. Time for some introspective writing. Reading a new book (that, I couldn't do without). Reviewing life. It's necessary I realized. Every few months, we should give ourselves the gift of silence. One day. Two days. Quality time with self.  What one does could vary from person to person but it should be just them. No media and no other people. Only the one person you can never escape though you may avoid many times every day.

This can even bring about some interesting ideas, solutions to places where we are stuck and in some cases, life changing ideas. It's not surprising that so many scientific discoveries were by scietists when in bath, about to sleep, wake up..the alone states.

So where do you find your peace?