Editorial Note:The Hidden Treasure of Silence

We all try to be honest, open up to a close friend, share our secrets, concerns and issues and take them off our chest from time to time. And then just for a very short time, which sometimes just lasts for a few seconds only, we feel relieved and light. After that we even convince ourselves that finally someone understands me and I feel much better now that I have talked about it! But this is merely what occurs in appearance; and very soon we begin to worry and freak out; what if my close friend, or whoever is involved, tells my secret to someone else? What if she really didn’t understand me and just pretended to sympathy with me at that certain moment? What if she will make a wrong judgment about me and get me all wrong? And then, once this process starts, you will discover that there is no end to this miserable road and all the regret it can bring along for you. You feel sorry, and perhaps even ashamed, for opening up about something. You might be willing to do just about anything to undo the words you said and make up for it. But this is exactly the trouble we all have with the “said words”; I mean once you say them there is no way to take them back at all…

This is simply one practical instance of the words we speak and later on regret for several reasons. But what if we are not feeling normal, well, steady and happy at a particular point in our life and hence share a secret, we open up and tell our whole life story to someone we don’t really know?! Do we really have to speak? Can’t we just stay silent and keep quiet and remain on the safe side of the road? There are also times when we might lose control, get angry, frustrated and helpless and say things that we will undoubtedly regret very soon…

So this time before you plan to say something, stop yourself for a moment, focus on what you were going to say and think twice before you really utter it practically. Perhaps you are not choosing the most proper words; perhaps you need to be careful about your tone and how you put your words in a sentence. Then, if you felt that there is no need to say them, or have any doubts about the necessity of speaking at that time, keep quiet and remain silent. It might seem tricky and hard then, but after a while you will be thankful for your sensibility and how you managed to control yourself and not say something that may regret you later.

There are always times that silence is the best and quite worthwhile treasure. You don’t have to always explain yourself, defend your deeds, express your emotions, and mention what you have in your mind, because in several of such cases, you will feel much better staying quiet and discovering the concealed value of silence and its magic effects.

Sh. Ghandehari