Transforming the Silence
Today, as I do every day, I committed to a walk. Since I have a dog, that commitment is very easy to honor, unless it is raining, too windy or just too cold. My dog and I have some weather issues. But today, with the weather just right, I strategically placed my walk time right after several clients, knowing I would need the break and movement. I happen to love walking. Even though I am basically a gym junkie, a fair-weathered runner who used to run marathons and a triathlete, I love walking the best. Go as long or as short as you would like, yet still reap the rewards. Fresh air, new perspectives and just the right amount of heart pumping to restart any day. Good or bad.
Listening for the silence.
My daily walk along the lake in Yardley PA…if you seek, you shall find. What will I be looking for today?
Today though, I decided to try on something a little different. The only thing I needed for this walk was the leash and of course, the actual dog. Just making that declaration immediately lightened an unexpected load that I didn’t even realize I was carrying before these walks. Here’s why. I didn’t have to find my headset. I didn’t have to then make sure I was wearing the right tights that had a side pocket for my phone. I didn’t have to find the right jacket, with the right pockets because I couldn’t find the right tights. I simply called the dog, then walked out the door.
Seemed simple enough.
I guess I never realized how much thought went into getting out the door, but since I walk several times a day, maybe I just never took the time to think about it at all. Next came the question of what I would do on this walk. Normally my intention is to walk. Just walk. But quickly that turns into, who can I call? Wasn’t there something I needed to order on amazon? What is my schedule tomorrow anyway? And while I am looking at the phone, let’s see who is available to talk. I would love to catch up with someone while I have the time. Within minutes, the walk becomes a to-do list.
Yet this time as I tilt my head a bit, searching for a new perspective, I am reminded that I live in Yardley PA, surrounded by beautiful scenery. You barely even need to look for it, because it just seems to find you. I eased into a new comfort zone, with my eyes on high alert, when I was suddenly reminded that I wouldn’t be able to document these perfect sights. Oh the horrors, right? God forbid I just enjoy the sights without being able to relive them once I am home. Am I really that afraid I will forget what I saw? I mean, maybe if I worked harder to process what was right in front of me, I wouldn’t have to work at remembering it at all. Maybe.
And so we just walked. I even committed to the dog that we weren’t going to talk. That’s right, I talk to my dog. But if you saw the way my toy poodle looks at me when I talk, you would talk to him too. Anyway, there wasn’t going to be any of that. I was simply going to be with me, myself and I, while being one with the silence. My head had been feeling a bit overloaded by incessant noise lately, so I was beginning to get excited about the notion of not putting anymore extra noise or thoughts into it. No more taking on someone else’s day or worries. No more checking in to see how others were holding up. Just for the hour, I was going to take my own inventory and do it silently.
I did worry that I might not be able to quiet my mind, but after 5 minutes, I could feel all that commentary I created, slowly slithering out of my head and into the air, slowly drifting away. I began to feel immediately lighter in every way. I wasn’t that surprised because I do meditate, sometimes silently rather than listening to a guided meditation, but I did appreciate the change. Not only that, but even while we were walking briskly, I didn’t feel like I was rushing to get anywhere in particular, just walking briskly to enjoy the day, the air, the feel of movement. I was quiet long enough, that I noticed the silence wasn’t silent at all, but perfectly filled with sounds that I no doubt miss out on when I’m busy talking or listening to my music. Instead, as I watched the waterfall pouring into another part of the lake, I could hear the splashing it made, which made me want to investigate where it was falling. As I peered over the ledge of the bridge we were crossing, I could see not only the beautiful waterfall, but also the little ducklings enjoying the water falling on top of them.
We carried on after that, stopping wherever I heard an unusual noise. Instead of oh there’s a bird, I started to think, I wonder what kind of bird that is? Where is that sound coming from? Is it flying over head or is it in that tree? Does the squirrel make any noise?
Even though I wasn’t bringing any more noise to the party, there were plenty of beautiful sounds coming from every angle. And surprisingly, it didn’t break the silence in my head at all. I could hear and enjoy the sounds, but didn’t take any of them with me. Instead I simply enjoyed them and then moved onto the next sound I heard. It was the most peaceful silence I could remember experiencing, that didn’t involve total silence at all.
After 2 miles, I felt refreshed and ready to be back at my desk again. My mind and body clear, in a way that I really enjoyed but couldn’t quite explain. How about you? Are you ready to transform the silence? Then don’t take my word for it, try it yourself. The next time you head out for a walk, leave the podcast, Spotify and phone calls behind, and just bring an open mind. You might be as thoroughly surprised as I was about what I found.