you who listen

several weeks ago i spent two days and three nights in complete silence. i was at taizé, an ecumenical monastery in france, located in a small town for which the monastery is named. something i noticed about the brothers is how quiet and soft spoken they were.  and what good listeners!  in meeting with the young people after evening prayer, they simply stood there and for the most part, listened.  young people have said that they feel accepted at taizé, that they feel at home.  maybe this is why.

so what's with all the blogging?  is this our attempt to be known, to be heard? during my time of silence (which i may write more about later) i found such a greater capacity to delve into other people, even without communicating with them.  i simply watched, observed - listened but from the edges.  it was wonderful.  i could focus my attention on them without my mouth blurting out my own opinions and desires.  and never in those two days did i ever complain about a single thing.  i found that as soon as i kept myself from getting in the way, i could really experience a person - a unique being - in a richer way.

has the blank page of a post yet unwritten become the one who knows us best? the one who does not interrupt our thoughts, who lets our personality birth ideas unhindered?  does it let us take them back while trying to find the right words, all without saying, "is this what you mean?"  it gives us the relaxed and un-pressured space we need to be ourselves.

it's funny.  i'm not sure i could have said all that in person.