Revisiting a Loving Silence

Living gratefully today, I offer appreciation for the energy that is around me and within me.  

Here is my post from April 24, 2019, with a quote that I came across again recently:

Today I am grateful for sweat and endorphins, for their cleansing and energizing properties. I am also grateful for the written word.

Consider these words: 

"A loving silence often has far more power to heal and 
to connect than the most well-intentioned words." 

(Rachel Naomi Remen)

I practiced a loving silence as I sat with my mom the other day. For so long, I had many thoughts, and honestly plenty of judgments too, as I watched or listened to Mom. Now, the best I can do, should do, is love and accept her. I have always loved her. She's my mom. But this loving silence is newer, more meaningful, unconditional.

I practice loving silence as I think about my sister Mary Jo, across the miles. And across the chasm of cancer. I pause, pray for her, send energy to her. She deals with nausea, pain, restlessness, the weight of terminal illness. She draws an inner strength and hopefully feels the support of so many of us around her. It is hard to give words to all I would like to say to Mary Jo or ask her about.

It is not as hard to spend time in loving silence. I will try to pause in my day today to practice loving silence for her, for Mom, for others.  

Two years later, much has changed. Mary Jo died in June 2019. Mom has slipped further into dementia. A global pandemic threw us curve balls like none we have seen before. Our son Sam graduated from high school and finished his first year of college. My husband Darcy and I have accepted that we won't be running the mileage we once did. Our grandsons have grown into little boys. 

Loving silence is still the same though. It heals and connects. It calls energy forth. And in the turmoil of all this loss and change of recent times, it has fortified and brought focus better than any perfect combination of words ever could. 

Sit in silence for a few moments and consider two years ago, one year ago, last week, yesterday. Acknowledge the struggles and varied emotions. Then acknowledge the welcome sense of calm and acceptance that only the experience of silence can bring. It is in the silence that we tap into the energy that will carry us forward.