The Sound Is Silenced…

Sometimes there are sounds which at first we are only vaguely aware of, intrusive, insistent sounds that are all around us, but which don’t quite break through to our full consciousness, sounds which are somehow partly shut out from our senses: the throbbing of a motor, the roar of traffic, the worrisome sound of the wind, the hiss of escaping steam, the pervasive sound of an air-conditioning system, the droning of a fan.

Often we are aware of such sounds as an unpleasant obligatoas something that makes us tense and ill at ease. And then suddenly something is shut off; suddenly the sound ceases and there is quiet, blessed quiet; and a sense of relief and peace. And only then do we become altogether aware of the disturbing effects of the sound we partly sensed, as we feel the relief and relaxing that come when it suddenly ceases.

There is a striking parallel in this physical phenomenon with the insistent unheard sounds that sometimes make us inwardly ill at ease: the obligato of an unquiet conscience; of jealousies and jarring thoughts; of inner resistance and resentments; the accusations that follow our failing to do what we know we should do, our failing to perform as fully as we should perform; the accusations that come when we have turned away someone we could have helped; the futility that follows too much striving for things that don’t matter too much for false pride and empty position; the discontent of wasting time; the inner accusations that come with unkindness, with hate and harsh words; with judging others unjustly.

And then there comes (or can come) a release, a peace, as if an offending sound were silenced the peace that follows the changing of an inner attitude, the admitting of an error, the leaving of bad habits behind, of putting aside false pride, of moving to make wrongs right, of ceasing to do what was not right.

There comes (or can come) a blessed silencing of the inner jarring sounds. There come (or can come with apology, with prayer, with sincere repentance) such peace and blessed relief as come when a disquieting sound ceases within our very souls.