Anyone who knows me knows that I am rarely quiet. I have zero concept of what an "inside voice" actually is and have been told my mind moves faster than my mouth.
Silence sometimes makes me uncomfortable. Something about a rare moment of complete quiet in such a fast-pace world seems unsettling to a lot of people, myself included. It gives you time to think or reflect- hell, even to just breathe. And that can be terrifying. While it is absolutely important to make noise and be sure your voice is heard, I've learned not all silence is frightening. Some silence is quite beautiful if you just simply live it.
Earlier this month, my one roommate and I traveled to Baltimore to spend the weekend with our other roommate. Three roommates who haven't seen each other all summer reuniting under one roof for a whole weekend? It was already understood there wouldn't be a single quiet moment.
While we quickly learned that we picked a weekend of record-breaking heat to visit, we also discovered that the Perseid Meteor Shower was at its peak during the weekend. Could we have gathered up some old blankets, laid them out on the lawn and watched history being made from the comfort of solid ground? Sure, we could have. Instead, we took a more memorable approach.
Around midnight, we loaded up the truck with food, coffee and kayaks and started out on our somewhat spontaneous and crazy adventure. A nearby lake was hosting a midnight kayak tour with guides and astronomers to watch the meteor shower. After dousing ourselves in bug spray and making sure we protected our food possibly a little more than ourselves, we ventured out. Hours were spent on that lake, filled with making fun of each other's kayaking skills, mild panic about possibly falling in, and the occasional yell of frustration of missing yet another shooting star.
Toward the end of our adventure, we decided to journey out into the middle of the lake. Gradually, conversations became quieter, then turned to none at all. Heads were leaned back, bare feet were dangling near the water, and before we knew it, we were in the middle of complete silence watching shooting stars and a rare multicolor meteorite move across the sky in a matter of seconds. Not a word was spoken for what seemed like a minute but was actually 30 minutes. It was, and still is, an indescribable moment. To be able to comfortably sit and honestly enjoy a moment where nothing is required of you except your presence is one hell of an experience.
That's the beauty of some silence. It doesn't demand a response. It's simply meant to be experienced. Life moves terribly fast. We're always looking for the next moment in our lives to happen so we can experience it, then impatiently wait for the next. So, have a voice. Know it, use it, feel it. But, don't be afraid of silence. Embrace it and slow down. Memories aren't always made by remembering what was said; Sometimes what's not said makes the best memories.
