“We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls.” --Mother Teresa

I stopped blogging.  I quit Facebook.  I avoided e-mail and phone calls.  I prayed.  I read.  I tried to create some silence in my life, and it was wonderful.

There has always been this polarity in my personality that I could never quite understand.

I'm a very sociable person.  I love parties.  I love meeting new people.  I love talking about "the big stuff" in life-- what really matters.  I love discussions involving God, religion, or politics (especially with my brainiac husband) .  I even love it when my kids are loud, and boy, they are LOUD!!!  I love their laughter, their screams, and squeals of delight.  I love listening to my 4-year-old daughter play in a magical princess and pony filled make-believe land.  I love listening to my almost 2-year-old son sing his ABCs or better yet, I love hearing him say, "Mommy!" when I walk into the room.  I love the coos of my 2-month-old baby boy.

But...

I also love silence.  There are times when I just need to be alone.  I need time to think, pray, reflect.  My husband will tease me and tell me I'm anti-social.  I will tell my daughter I'm in "time out."  I will neglect phone calls, texts, e-mails, and invitations...because I need silence.  I will admit I always thought that was a rather odd part of my personality.

Yet...

I find myself discovering that purposeful silence is a very good thing.  It is in those moments that we slow down and appreciate the beauty and wonder of the world.  Bees faithfully pollinating flowers, helping beautiful plants to grow.  A dog snoring on the couch in contentment.  The beauty of the sky.  The warmth of the sun.  A moment of quiet reflection with God replenishing our soul.