Silence

"I suppose I can understand the need for some to set aside a block of time each day to formally practice some sort of silent meditation or contemplation, as a respite from the dualistic, interactive world — perhaps most especially for those hyper-active, extrovert types. But one could also say that here it’s been just the opposite:    I’ve always had to ‘practice’ leaving the silence, to turn outward, so to speak, to participate in the interactive world. The silence and solitude always felt natural, while being ‘in the world’ never really felt quite right — like a stranger in a strange land. But one does make the effort, otherwise I may well appear as one of those reclusive hermits with a long white beard, with nothing whatsoever to say about That which there is nothing to say."  ~ snowleopard