Silence is golden

My roommate was the type of person who could talk your ear off. And she knews it, too. Unfortunately, there was nothing you could do to make her stop talking, but that is why we love her. Because bless her heart, she can't stand awkward silences or any type of silence for that matter at all. And that's her way of dealing with it. To fill it.

But there's something to say about perfectly amicable silence. Silence that is both enjoyed and respected by two people. Silence that happens peacefully and quietly without effort or stress. (Now, don't get me wrong, if its silence because you truly don't have shit to say, you might have a problem.) I believe, in these special cases, the "lack" of conversation can actually tell you more about your connection with another person than first thought.

But, what is it that makes silence with one person OK and silence with another person so mind-numbingly painful you would rather jab a stick in your eye than sit there any longer. I guess it's a level of comfort and understanding. It's the collective belief that it's OK not to talk. It's OK not to ALWAYS have something to say. It's perfectly fine just to BE and enjoy the moment.

Try it. Try not talking. Among the right company, the things that are unsaid can be just as powerful as the things that are. Now, I understand that the concept of "silence is golden", in a way, contradicts previous arguments that we self edit ourselves too much and don't always say what we should say. But in life, there's a time to speak and say what needs to be said, and there's a time to kick back and shut the heck up.

Knowing the difference is the hardest part. Two people knowing the difference at the same time is even harder. So when you find that person...the one you can be quiet with, just sit silently and enjoy what doesn't always have to be said.