silence 4...

Paul Simon, one of my favorite composers, wrote a song that he and Art Garfunkel sang on the Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme album called The Dangling Conversation. A couple considers shallow topics and doesn’t deal with the deeper questions about their relationship, or lack of it. “And I only kiss your shadow, I cannot feel your hand, you’re a stranger now unto me lost in the dangling conversation and the superficial sighs in the borders of our lives.”*

I think of this song sometimes in relationship to silence and the Deity. Is that descriptive of my relationship with God? More pointedly, is that descriptive of God's relationship with me?

There is another side to silence, though. Though relationship cannot exist easily in total silence, there is a place for silent companionship in relationship.

I’m wondering if the noise of our world (and it is noisy) has caused us not to seek the disciplines of mindfulness and silence that are necessary not only for our mental health, and not only so that in the silence we can actually hear God (both of which are worthy purposes), but also so that we can spend silent companionship in the presence of God himself?

I could write a lot more words about this, but I’m just going to leave it there for now.

What do you think?

Grace and peace,

Owen

*Copyright © 1966 Paul Simon