Silence is an interesting thing. Our lives are constantly immersed with sound. We hear the consistent rumbling and rushing of cars and trucks. We hear the clatter and chatter of individuals walking by. We hear birds chirping and wind blowing. Sound is everywhere. So why do we often neglect the opportunities to talk during our daily commutes? Why do we chose to disengage during discussions? Although not always, it seems as though silence is something that we must actively engage in. Why are we putting ourselves in a position to ignore sound?

We’ve all experienced those small, discussion based classes. A teacher will get up in front of a group of twelve students and begin asking questions. The response? Silence. It seems only after encouragement, prying, and a whole lot of awkward silence does the discussion finally seem to start. Although, sometimes I view the lack of talking as a result of my classmates and I being tired, ill-prepared, or uninterested in the material. Maybe the class is too early in the morning, or perhaps too late in the afternoon. There seems to be a multiplicity of explanations as to why small classroom settings often seem silent. But why do we chose to limit our voice, silence our opinions and ideas not only in the classroom, but when engaging with others?

Although some mornings after a Thursday night out, we want nothing more than to sit on the bus, headphones on, in silence. I can’t help but notice our ability to communicate and talk to one another seems to dwindle the more we engage with phones and technology. The chirping of birds is replaced with music from our favorite playlist. Conversation with the strangers and friends we encounter everyday is replaced with text bubbles and notifications.

How many times have you been at a party where everyone around you is on their phone? Have you ever seen people seemingly enjoying a nice dinner date, engaged not with their immediate company, but with their cellphone? We see people, unable to use their voice in person, writing, trolling and creating online content. Why is there this discrepancy? Why is it easier to to talk and make noise in an online setting, instead of in real life?

I challenge you to be conscious this week. Think about the notion of sound and harness that power. Talk to a stranger while on your morning bus ride to work. Raise your hand and contribute during class. Leave your phone at home next time you spend time with friends. Separate yourself from the online chatter and bring that noise back to the here and now.