I've been quiet for a while now. Deliberately, intensely quiet.
It's like this: I use words constantly. They are my instrument, my voice, my expression, my connection, & my inspiration. I teach, give talks & lectures, & when I get a chance-- between semesters, as I did over the New Year break-- I feel the need sometimes to simply stop talking.
To be silent.
To listen.
To absorb.
To say nothing that doesn't absolutely need to be said.
To gather my thoughts, my strength, & myself. To remember the power & force of words. To use them sparingly. Tu use them as if it's the first time.
To write in my notebook & work on my novel. Quietly.
And now it's a new year, I'm back at school, back to talking & connecting in the world. And I love this part, too. But I need those quiet periods. Winter is my quiet season. My time to renew myself.
It's still winter, but I already feel spring in the air & words taste delicious again, warm with the promise of the sun.
Do you hear me? Do you ever feel the need to just listen?
