The silence of the storm
Our silence can say so much or say nothing at all. Silence can be used as a mark of contempt as when you are in a situation where you cannot say what you want to say, but nevertheless feel that some sort of response is called for. Silence can be a very effective bullying tactic when you say nothing and the person who is trying to be heard is squashed by being met with total silence. In this case there is nothing that can be said which will elicit a response and the affect can be devastating. Silence can be the loudest non- sound in the world. Have you ever sat in a room at night and there is absolutely no sound at all? No traffic, no voices, no birdsong, no noise from the refrigerator, no music, absolutely nothing! For some, the sound of no- sound can appear to be very loud and upsetting because we are so used to having some sort of noise in the background that an absence of sound can be disquieting. Yet silence is a virtue and a strong foundation stone for every ...