Change always comes bearing gifts

By Craig Ruvere

The realities of life can often burden our very existence – preventing us from seizing each day as a blessing filled with infinite possibilities.

Our chaotic lifestyles often limit the amount of time we’re willing to set aside in order to reconnect with our inner spirit, which needs continual nurturing and attention in order to flourish. This valuable reconnection helps rejuvenate and reignite the soul by allowing us to examine our thoughts, our behaviors and our actions – leading to a better understanding of how to improve the person we are to ourselves and those around us.

Sadly much of society fails to see any benefit to just “being” in the silence for an extended period of time.

Craig Ruvere, CGI

Many of us can’t sit in a room without the sound of television noise littering the background; few can drive in a car or walk through a retail store without chatting away on their cell phones; some can’t even enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature without dragging out portable radios to pollute the sound of birds singing sweetly or a gentle breeze caressing trees.

If I didn’t know better I’d say that we’ve become a society that’s afraid of silence.

Artist Jean Arp once said, Soon silence will have passed into legend. Man has turned his back on silence.  Day after day he invents machines and devices that increase noise and distract humanity from the essence of life, contemplation and meditation.

But avoiding the silence does have its benefits I suppose. It prevents humanity from having any meaningful, impactful thoughts about the people we are in life, love and everything in between. I guess we’re not really afraid of “silence” per say, but the truth it might reveal.

The only way for us to fully seize each and every day as a blessing is to be completely honest with ourselves. To stop trying to cover up what ails us and instead try whole heartedly to make a positive transformation in the person we are right now. For only then will change truly come bearing gifts.

PERSONAL CHALLENGE:

As Arp says, we continue to create machines and devices to distract us from the essence of life.

Find some time in the evening hours or on the weekend to turn off all the distractions around you (cell phones, computers, televisions) and just allow yourself to be in the silence - accepting whatever thoughts and ideas might pop into your mind.

Perhaps light a few candles for illumination and watch the dancing flames as they relax and unwind your spirit from the chaos of a busy day or work-week. Encourage your family to participate – helping to reestablish relationships that may have become strained or uncomfortable.

Though machines and devices will continually be created to cover up the silence, each of us possesses the ability to control them.