Silencio

Do you always have music playing? Or perhaps the TV?

When was the last time you were outside and simply listened to your surroundings?

What did you hear?
Airplanes flying overhead
Sirens
Construction sounds
People talking
Birds
Trains
Cars

If you close your eyes, what else do you hear?

The rustling of tree leaves, perhaps.
Or children singing.

We live in a very visual world.

We look, we scroll, and we often react immediately to something we see.
But as soon as you close your eyes, what happens then?

You don’t just hear what is happening outside.

You also notice your breath,
perhaps the tension in your shoulders,
or how fast your thoughts keep racing.
And sometimes — very subtly — you feel what is happening inside yourself.

You suddenly notice that restlessness, or that you are incredibly tired — or on the contrary, relaxed and calm.

Listening is not just about your ears and your surroundings.

It is also a form of being honest with yourself.

For if you see nothing,
you cannot be distracted by what you “should” be doing.

Then you learn to listen to what is,
that you don’t have to speak louder,
that you learn to listen to your own voice.

Could that be something that brings inner wisdom?