Sitting in the silence

I love winter time, especially here in Wenatchee. I am a big fan of the snow and Wenatchee usually gets just enough to keep me wanting more rather than making me live in terror of needing to go to the store on icy roads. Last week when it snowed my son and I went out and gathered snow from a parking lot in order to improve our sledding hill. It was a lot of fun and he learned that sometimes you have to work hard for something, even a good sledding hill.  My favorite part of winter, however, is the silence.  I have always loved to sit outside when it is snowing and be immersed in the weather and the silence. It can only really happen in the winter. In the spring it is damp and rainy. The rain makes noise and soaks through your clothing in about 5 minutes. In the summer and fall the weather is so beautiful that everyone is outside enjoying it. Kids are running around playing and families are barbequing and picnicking. It is a great time to be outside, but it is rarely silent. In the winter, especially in the evenings everything is quiet and peaceful. The snow is cold as it falls around you, but with a good coat and maybe a sweatshirt underneath it really isn’t that big a deal. You can sit or stand outside and watch the snow fall in almost complete silence. In our modern culture of radio, television, hand held video games, and portable music players. We have become a culture that is in many ways afraid of silence. We have a desire to fill our ears and our minds with some sort of entertainment. While I don’t think it is bad to listen to music or watch TV (I do a fair amount myself) we also need to learn how to appreciate the silence. When God spoke to the prophet Elijah in the Old Testament in was in a still small voice, not over booming speakers or a rushing wind. As we examine our prayer lives and think about ways we can do better, I think silence is an important factor. Sitting in silence is an act of listening. It can be challenging to hear the voice of God in our lives if we never try to unplug from all the other noise that is around us. When I go outside and sit in the silent snowfall, it isn’t necessarily to pray the Rosary or any other kind of formalized prayer. It is usually just to sit outside  with a hot cup of coffee or tea and just appreciate all the wonderful things God has given me or done in my life. Sometimes it is good to just sit in the silence and take in the world that God has created for us. Even though it may seem like we are doing nothing, listening to God is the most productive thing we can do in our lives. Since it hasn’t snowed a whole lot yet this winter, it is my hope that there are still plenty of good afternoons and evenings out there to sit and meditate on the wonders of God in the silence.