Scottish poet,Thomas Carlyle,wrote in 1831:"Speech is silver,silence is golden".
Brewers's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable says:"If a word be worth one shekel,then silence is worth two."
So when do silence become more profitable than abundant speech? When is it appropriate to rather keep quiet that it is to speak? The propriety of remaining silent can be shown in at least three areas in life.
They are: silence as a marks of respect;silence as evidence of discretion and discernment;silence so as to meditate.
Do you respectfully listen when instructions are given to you or do you engage in conversation or something else whilst this is happening? In a private one-on-one conversation with someone,being a good listener would be a mark of respect.
When faced in a hostile environment,loud talking by yourself would serve no useful purpose at all,but manifesting discretion and discernment would. Also when someone provokes you,it is also a time to keep your mouth in check. A quick oral response by you in a trying situation could result in ill-considered and indiscreet speech that's later regrettable. Given the circumstances our words may appear silly and ridiculous even idiotic,and our peace of mind or sense of inner peace may suffer badly as a result.
What happens when you find yourself in company of people that's off-colour or vulgar when talking?A sensible approach would be to either excuse yourself and if that were not possible then remain silent so as to not give the impression that you approve of what's being said.
What about betraying a confidence? A good time to remain silent is when tempted to reveal confidential matters through uncontrollable and unguarded speech. You need to be circumspect so as to retain the trust of others who have confided in you.
English writer Sydney Smith(1771-1845) once wrote:"He has occasional flashes of silence,that makes his conversation perfectly delightful". Conversation is two-way traffic or communication. A person that is a good conversationalist should also be able to be a good listener. Also the fewer times you talk,the less chances there is for you committing indiscretion in your speech.
Lastly its always good to find a quiet time and place for reflection and meditation. Hence the need for solitude,away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Its here where absolute silence provides you with an environment for healthy stock taking and self examination of your life. And the restorative effects of this is undeniably good. It enhances peace of mind and appreciation of truly important things in your life.
So just shut up and be quiet,it's time to listen and learn.
References:
1.www.experienceproject.com ›Health and Wellness › Mental Health.
2.www.embrace-the-silence-or-when-to-simply-shut-up.
3.www.wikihow.com ›Intellectual Types,Social Interactions › Language Nuances.
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