Microsoft Word who will cry when u die doc

16. 
Learn to Be Silent 
 
William Wordsworth sagely observed, “When from our better selves we have too long been parted by the 
hurrying works, sick of its business, of its pleasures tired, how gracious, how benign is solitude.” When was the 
last time you made the time to be silent and still? When was the last time you carved out a chunk of time to 
enjoy the power of solitude to restore, refocus and revitalize your mind, body and spirit? 
 
All of the great wisdom traditions of the world have arrived at the same conclusion: to reconnect with 
who you really are as a person and to come to know the glory that rests within you, you must find the time to be 
silent on a regular basis. Sure, you are busy. But as Thoreau said: “It is not enough to be busy, so are the ants. 
The question is what are you so busy about?” 
 
The importance of silence makes me think about the story of an old lighthouse keeper. The man had 
only a limited amount of oil to keep his beacon lit so that passing ships could avoid the rocky shores. One night, 
a man who lived close by needed to borrow some of this precious commodity to light his home, so the 
lighthouse keeper gave him some of his own. Another night, a traveler begged for some oil to light his lamp so 
he could keep on travelling.  The lighthouse keeper also complied with this request and gave him the amount he 
needed. The next night, the lighthouse keeper was awakened by a mother banging on his door. She prayed for 
some oil so that she could illuminate her home and feed her family. Again he agreed. Soon all his oil was gone 
and his beacon went out. Many ships ran aground and many lives were lost because the lighthouse keeper forgot 
to focus on his priority. He neglected his primary duty and paid a high price. Experiencing solitude, for even a 
few minutes a day, will keep you centered on your highest life priorities and help you avoid the neglect that 
pervades the lives of so many of us. 
 
And saying that you don’t have enough time to be silent on a regular basis is a lot like saying you are too 
busy driving to stop for gas – eventually it will catch up with you.