Wonderful silence

Julia ♦ March 1, 2025 ♦ 7 Comments

Detail from “Sunshine in the Living Room” by Carl Holsøe.
Public domain image from Wikimedia Commons

“Have you ever heard the wonderful silence just before the dawn? Or the quiet and calm just as a storm ends? Or perhaps you know the silence when you haven’t the answer to a question you’ve been asked, or the hush of a country road at night, or the expectant pause of a room full of people when someone is just about to speak, or, most beautiful of all, the moment after the door closes and you’re alone in the whole house? Each one is different, you know, and all very beautiful if you listen carefully.” ― Norton Juster

After so many years living mostly alone, which followed decades of living with a man who was very quiet in his speech and habits, I have learned to depend on having quite a lot of silence. I’ve never watched television, and I can’t tolerate commercials. I seldom play the radio except when I’m driving. I don’t even talk on the telephone very much, which is something that puzzles and sometimes annoys a few of my friends. Audiobooks, streamed period dramas or favorite music are the sounds I enjoy most often. But I love silence, and I’ve never felt the need to fill it with any sort of background noise.

I know this is fairly unusual; most people are unable to indulge in long periods of quiet even if they want it. If silence is rare for you, or if you’re someone who adores the flurry of activity that makes up a busy life, there will nonetheless be opportunities to grab moments of quiet to savor. Juster points out some that are often overlooked, especially when they come sandwiched between periods of prolonged auditory stimulation or stressful demands. At such times, it can be all the more important to listen for these gifts of stillness. What beautiful things will you hear in the silence today?