Silence.

I've recently discovered it again for the first time. Silence. It's rare that people really listen to it. So much these days, we look for a way to fill the silence with TV, radio, iPods, whatever that we forget the beauty of it.

Silence, it's not just for sleeping anymore. Sure, silence makes for a good night's sleep. But even that silence is filled with sound. A baby monitor, a ceiling fan, the faint breathing of the person next to you.

I recently had the chance to sample some quiet. I got home earlier than expected from work and no one was here yet. The weather was cooler outside, so the AC wasn't cycling on and the baby monitors had been turned off that morning. I sat down and listened to it and was surprised by how much I relaxed into it. It was like I had been straining myself and just found the right pillow.

I get the same feeling when I take my glasses off. I'm pretty blind, so these guys are my best friends. But now and then, I take them off and ACT like I can see just so I can feel those tiny muscles in my eyes relax a little...and those little muscles in my nose relax from the lifting of the weight of my glasses. It's a true joy, I tell you.

So, I suggest that each of you take a moment to find yourself some silence. It might be in you car just before you go into a store, you pause and listen. If you really listen, you'll hear the silence. And if you let he happen for just a little while, you'll feel that relaxation. There's nothing better these days.