A little time away.

There are times in life when I find myself retreating to the quiet of my study to listen to some lovely gentle music. The noise of the world becomes just too much and at this time things are certainly building up towards the forthcoming Christmas events. The sounds of Christmas music and advertisements bombard from every side.

I made some noise about it to my wife yesterday on my return from the school garden to be told, " accept it it is happening and people are looking forward to it. it might not be what you once tried to make it but life has moved on."

I said nothing and retreated. It was pointed out to me a bit later that I was, in fact, humming a piece of Christmas music. So there you have it, condemned by my own actions.

I then became aware of what I was in fact painting, my other great solace in life, poppies.

There are times when silence can perform miracles.

I was reading about a famous philosopher,  he told this tale on the wisdom of silence. 

Once on a railway journey, my father unintentionally perpetrated some slight infraction and was unmercifully bawled out by a minor train employee. I was young then and hotly told my father afterward that he should have given the man a piece of his mind. 

My father smiled, "Oh," he said, "if a man like that can stand himself all his life, surely I can stand him for five minutes."

I learned this very same message from another older wise elder from my church. 

It had been a rather stormy meeting and some very harsh words had been spoken. The elder I speak of, always highly respected and unusually wise in his judgments, had said nothing throughout the proceedings. 

As I left the meeting I said to him,  "You said not a word. I am sure I would have liked to hear your opinion about this matter." 

Ralph, he said, "I have discovered, that there are many times when silence is an opinion."

Have a wonderful day and in the midst of it all find a little time of silence. I am aware that i have friends who read this who would love to not have quite so much silence in their lives I hope today they find a little noise from a friend.