Listen to the Silence

When Ronan Keating sings his beautiful rendition of the hit You Say It Best When You Say Nothing At All, he makes me believe that it's true.

Silence is Golden is another song on the subject.

The Proverbs in the Old Testament state in 17:28 -  Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.

Each person has a unique personality; some are outgoing, some are shy. There are those who love to be the center of attention in any setting and others who prefer sitting in the back, observing the ongoings.

I found this articles with a long list of advice called How To Be a Quiet Person on the Internet.
The articles is divided into three main areas:

• Having a Quiet Demeanor
• Being Quieter In Conversation
• Leading a Quiet Life

Each section has these undertitles:

Act more cautiously

Keep your body language approachable and gentle

Stay calm in volatile situations

Earn other's trust by being to the point and reliable

Learn to command respect through using fewer words

Rely on your face to express yourself

Know yourself - and do the opposite

Have a point when you speak

Let the other person dominate the conversation

Observe the body language of the person you are talking to

Stop interrupting people

Ask questions that focus on the other person

Lower your volume

Take a moment to open your mind

Meditate

Find a hobby

Spend more time alone

Spend more time with introverted friends

Consider seeing a therapist

Stay true to you

Sometimes closing one's mouth is a good thing, especially if unkind or hurtful words are about to escape and enter ears and minds where they will be kept in a drawer forever.

But words are also good, loving, and necessary.

The wisdom is to learn to balance words and action, and develop character traits that will do good instead of harm.

I have a good friend who says she loves to listen to the stillness.

There is also much wisdom in that.

Today's water color hangs in our cabin, Eljarbu, in the mountains. There is hardly anything more quiet than snow.

Witch Way?

Every day there are ample opportunities to choose. Which way to go when walking the dog? What to wear? Should I. . . ? Could I. . . ? What if. . . ?

To be able to choose for ourselves is a gift. A gift from a loving Heavenly Father. It is freedom in being allowed to choose and to make decisions.

Often we feel that we don't have a choice, that our path is set by others. There may be things that happen in our family, within our circle of friends, and we feel we simply have to, should, ought to. . . Something that puts us in a situation we did not want or choose.

Nevertheless, we choose how to deal with it, how to get through the day, how to favor the best part, and see the good in a situation and in others. We choose to have a positive attitude, we select to become a better person, we opt for progress and happiness.

And that happiness is often found in ways we cannot see at first. Happiness may be helping someone when we are tired, instead of relaxing in front of the TV. Progress may be seeing fruits from our labor, and the good feeling that comes with having been a friend to someone.

So, which way? What will be best in the end? The road can be a bit of work, stones to skip, wet ground underneath, but it can also be fun and fulfilling.

Photo: Wind Witch on top of our garage by the Duck and Cherry and a water color depicting a path through the woods. It splits into two directions. Which is the best one to choose?

Sleet and Complaints

Sleet.
The icy mixture of rain and snow coming down outside the windows of the Duck and Cherry.
It looks cold.
Have I been out to verify that statement?
Yes. And it felt cold, too.

I don't mind. It's that time of year. The days are shorter, evening approaches sooner every day, I want to make warm soups and homemade bread, and I am starting to think about Thanksgiving and Christmas.

There are still things undone in the garden around the Duck and Cherry. There are projects that have to be continued next spring. But I have no complaints. The summer and autumn have both behaved wonderfully.

I saw a sign the other day which said, "If you have a complaint, please press the red button." The red button was placed under a mouse trap. You know, the kind that would hurt your finger if it snapped?

It goes along with the complaint sign in my kitchen.

I imagine 300 miles is too far for anyone. By the time they got there, they would have forgotten about why they ventured those 300 miles in the first place. Fatigue and hunger would have overcome their senses and other complaints would have precedence.

In my book, complaining is a negative and degrading process - one that takes you downhill and pushes away smiles and harmony. Better keep them complaints few and to the point, if ever they should be allowed out and about.

In the meantime, I will tell myself to be better at complimenting and finding good things in people and life.

Photo today: A handpainted sign bought in Amish Country in Ohio.