Have you ever laid down, stared into the sky, and just watched the clouds drift across your vision and watch the airplanes leaving trails of white smoke behind? A few days ago, while the autumn weather permitted, I did just that and stared into the clear, infinite blue and remained silent. There were people passing by, probably on their phones in groups or in pairs, chit-chatting, but I wasn't the least bothered. I paid them no attention and closed my eyes only to find very scattered thoughts: worries on whether my future would lead me anywhere or send me straight back home, not being able to take care of myself or my family after graduation, not having clear long-term plans. In other words, I was drowning in overthinking.
I felt so overwhelmed with clashing emotions that I realized I never took a break from school, stress, or life in general, to focus only on myself (the semester basically just started too). Yet, I was sure that in-between moment, where a silence was taking place, was essential to moving on and improving myself. Silences have the tendency to jump from being comfortable, slightly odd, or excruciatingly unpleasant, but they exist for several simple, yet complex, reasons.
1. Silence can be your best friend even at the most unexpected of times.
Instances, such as the moment after a stranger pleasantly compliments you, being in the presence of family or friend, as well as the minute just before that couple ahead of you intertwines their hands together, the quiet seconds that emerge afterwards are comforting.
2. It can be your worst nightmare.
In certain cases, like when one is experiencing loneliness, silence is jarring. However, if you make a break for the door and inhale the outside air into your lungs, you might notice that silence isn't so quiet after all.
3. It may be a sign for help.
There are people in this world that find it difficult to reach out for assistance when it is desperately needed. If your worries are seemingly microscopic or gigantic to the point where it seems utterly impossible to hack it out, it is still possible to work through it. I'm not sure when your answers will come into view, but it is important that you are aware that there will be struggles and most often than not, you must let it occur, and you have to fight.
This sole aspect of having silence is a necessity. There are objects that may keep one from experiencing a silence, like scrolling past one's newsfeed on a social media network. Mindlessly swiping up to see what else is trending on Facebook is a perfect way to avoid an awkward silence, won't you agree?
It may be easy for quietness to be misunderstood. However, you won't know until you address it internally and sometimes out loud. It could even be considered as music, but that is an entirely different story. Read the air, listen to your gut, and either embrace the quiet or speak up about it. Thoughts may form within that silence, which could then lead to the creation of a beautiful idea or inward turmoil. I know it's difficult to remain calm when you feel as if you're being thrown down five flights of stairs, but take that moment and go from there one step after another. Silences exist so that we can acknowledge them, face them head on no matter how difficult they might be, use them to learn new information (maybe even about ourselves), work out the kinks, and refine ourselves.
