I have always been a more quiet person, so silence has never made me uncomfortable. However, as I am exposed to more types of people, I have realized that some people truly cannot function without some sort of background noise. And it’s not even that casual lazy day background noise of sitting outside and listening to the wind and the occasional car drive by. It’s the background noise of other people. But what happens when there isn't any background noise, and it's silent?
Under the right circumstances, silence is not only comforting, but also beautiful. These silent, often rare moments give us time to reflect, and for those of us who are constantly busy, it means that we are finally taking a minute to breathe.
Silence is not uncomfortable when you're with the right people. Picture yourself at dinner with three of your best friends. You're talking nonstop for a while, and then, all of sudden, it’s quiet for a few minutes. Is it awkward? Hopefully not. You're usually consumed in your own thoughts or thinking about what someone else just said, and you can communicate with your friends with a simple look. Now, picture yourself with strangers, people you just met, or people you barely know. The first moment of silence can be awkward, and everyone usually reverts to some form of social media on their phones. This brings more silence; however, unlike with your best friends, everyone is unconnected and in their own worlds. Their bodies are present, but their minds aren’t. This isn’t always the case, but it’s happening more often than not.
Silence is not uncomfortable when you're at peace. When you're at peace with yourself, your surroundings, and your friends and family, silence is the perfect time for reflection. It gives you time to think about how to fix past mistakes, how to build a better future, and how to work on your relationships with the people you love.
Silence is not uncomfortable when you can express yourself through actions instead of words. One of my favorite movies is Wall-e. In Disney’s animated film, few words are exchanged, yet the characters portray a beautiful story through their actions and body language. Not talking does not mean not social.
If silence makes you uncomfortable, do something about it! Instead of following silence by more silence (i.e. going on your phone to distance yourself from those around you), strike up a conversation. Who knows what opportunities you will miss by not taking advantage of having a real conversation with someone and choosing to Facebook message someone you barely know instead. Who knows what kinds of stories you will hear and the connections you will make.
