Embracing the Silence

AN ELDERLY COUPLE sat at the next table in the prison visitation room. He was an inmate in a wheelchair; his wife sat next to him.

In the half hour that I observed them, not a word was spoken. They sat there holding hands and looking at each other. Several times he reached over and gently patted his wife's cheek.

Words simply don't apply beyond a certain point. There was no place here for noisy chatter, the possessive clutch, the clinging arm ... only the silence and the gentle holding of each other's hands. I was reminded that it is not what is said that is sacred, but that which is embraced in looks, touch, and solitude that intoxicates. These two were partners moving in the same rhythm, creating a pattern together and being invisibly nourished by it.

I wondered what they had been through, why he was imprisoned ... so many questions. They obviously had reached a place in their relationship where words would have only diminished the flow of feelings between them.

The feeling of love was so thick in that room I felt I was participating in something sacred ... sharing in their communion, in their pain, their love, something sad and also joyful; the full range of a human relationship.

As Meher Baba, who was silent for the last forty-four years of his life, said, "Things that are real are given and received in silence."

Once an atmosphere of mutual trust is present, we can be silent together and let God be the One who speaks, gently and softly. In this silence we find the way into our heart and when we listen with our soul, we come into rhythm and unity with the music of the universe.

The Real World

IN THIS AGE of computer graphics, what is seen before the eye may not necessarily be what is real. The old saying, "I'll believe it when I see it", just doesn't mean much any more; this is especially true in movies.

Television is continually giving us more shows that it calls "reality TV". Our friends tell us to "get real". Before entering into business ventures, we do a "reality check". A soft drink insists it's "the real thing". We can't help avoiding the questions, "What is real?" and "Who is the real me?"

At the completion of various retreat seminars, someone usually comments, "Too bad we have to go back to the real world now". The world we've experienced in the seminar IS the real world. The world of loving, honest communication with genuine caring reflects our true identity much more than the world we usually call "real".

What world is real to us? The world most of us consider real is fraught with illusions. Money, fame, power, sex, and material security do not offer true reward and substance; they dissolve as soon as the tiniest light is shed on them. While the "real world" tells us that these commodities are worth living and dying for, those who have them are often desperate for love, relationships, communication, community, and peace of mind.

The real world is the world of kindness, caring, vision, and service. All of these qualities are attributes of our divine nature.

We're born of light, and we return to the Light. To live in the Light is to live in the real world.

If Only

NO MATTER WHAT a person achieves in life, there is usually an "if only ..." People live in large homes, drive expensive cars, have more money in the bank than they could ever reasonably spend, and still they think "if only ..."

We look at a person and think, "If only I were like that person. If only I had what that person has," but that person is looking at someone else and thinking the same things about that other person. This goes on and on. Somehow we never realize that our actual physical circumstances are not as relevant as our attitudes.

In the prison yard from which I write this, the common refrain is "If only I could be free, if only I could do more with my life, then I'd be doing something worthwhile." No matter where we are or what our circumstances are, we're faced every day with opportunities to help and serve others.

We can serve others simply by remaining cheerful in their presence; we can add to the lives of others just by making them laugh, by helping them to feel good about themselves. A simple smile or a friendly word might brighten another's life. Yet, how often do we actually bother?

We don't have to wait for something important or meaningful to come along - whatever we think that is. When we recognize and honor God in all beings, we're fulfilled even while doing the most mundane tasks. Then we leave others with a good feeling, and in that way, we have helped and served them.

The contribution of our life on earth has to do with the simple kindness we show toward others. The things we will most regret will be the times we were unkind or insensitive to others. The things that will make us feel good will be the times we shared our love.

There are many things we think are important in this world. Still, in the end nothing we do or say in this lifetime will matter as much as the way we have loved one another.

© 2001-06, Tom Brown

IF YOU ENJOYED THIS ARTICLE, why not sample the rest of the great articles, series, columns and monthly featured articles in PLW online magazine? WE NOW OFFER a 1-month, 3-month or 6-month subscription, or, for less than the price of one single cup of coffee per month, you get great metaphysical - spiritual - new thought articles, celestial guidance and news every single month for an ENTIRE YEAR …or even two! The longer you sign up for, the cheaper it gets! Your contribution to PLW assists us in covering the monthly costs of labor, running our website server, routinely upgrading hardware and software, and it also funds our latest project, Children of the New Earth Online Magazine. Click here for more...

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles "Tom" Brown was a successful investor who did very well in real estate, oil, and the stock market. Friends began asking him to invest for them, too. And he did. Things went well, and more people heard about his abilities and wanted to be included in the investment strategies he had devised. All went well until there was a dramatic change in the market. All that went up turned down, and Tom wanted everyone to still have a profit - his big mistake - as he wanted to be well thought of. Tom was accused of defrauding investors. Although it was shown that he had never diverted any money for himself other than a modest commission, through unbelievable mishandling by an incompetent or dishonest attorney, what should have been a one-year sentence became a 17-year sentence. At the time of judgment, Tom was 62 years of age.

The purpose of Tom's blog is not to dwell on the injustice, but rather, to show the incredible unfoldment of consciousness in a man who has taken this sentence and created a workshop of Soul and Spirit out of it. His words are designed to help us see into life and do better with what we've been given. Tom's Beyond the Wall blog is located at www.Beyondthewall.blogs.com.  If you would like to write to Tom, he appreciates correspondence.  He does not have access to a computer but can be reached via Charles "Tom" Brown, # 140237, ASPC - Lewis, Barchey Blue - D2 - E5, P.O.Box 3200, Buckeye, AZ, 85326.