Monday: Reflection

I've been noticing how quickly we can rush to fill silence.

Someone finishes speaking, and we jump in.

There's a pause in a conversation, and we feel the need to say something.

We're uncomfortable with what's being said, so we start explaining, defending, or trying to make things better.

But sometimes, nothing more needs to be said.

Sometimes silence gives the other person room to think, feel, or say what they haven't yet found the words for.

And sometimes it gives us the space to notice what's happening inside ourselves before we respond.

We don't always have to fill the space.

We don't always have to offer an opinion, an explanation, or a solution.

We can simply be there.

Today, I'm practicing allowing a little more silence into my conversations. Not to withdraw or avoid, but to make room for something else to happen.

Where can you add a bit more silence?