Sounds of silence

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Anyone who has been to Bombay either loves or hates the place. It is always buzzing with activity. Never a dull moment. People are always doing something or going somewhere. There's so much noise, traffic and pollution. And admist all that chaos, the city still functions and thrives.

I remember when I first came to the US, everything seemed so quiet and orderly. I really wanted noise. I would switch on the TV, and it would be turned on the whole day. It really didn't matter what was going on. It just needed to be ON. Something about quietness is unnerving. No one likes that awkward silence.

On rare occassions, when I can wake up early in the morning and Daniel is still sleeping, our house is almost eerily quiet. As I gaze at our backyard, I can hear the sweet sound of birds chirping. I feel the gentle breeze and the soft rays of the early morning sun. Isn't that how God intended things to be? God is many a times found in the quiet and serene resting places, contrary to most demands and expectations in our life.

We fill our lives with work, and things to do to keep us occupied. Of course, there's nothing wrong with activity, but do we do it, to drown the real longing in our heart? Do we use noise, to drown the spirit of God speaking to our conscience? Does silence bring out the emptiness in our life?

Be still my soul and know that He is God.

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