I’m really quiet.  I know I can talk ears off and write pages on topics, but that’s just when the tap is turned on.  Most of the time in this life, I was quietly alone.  Ask any of my teachers.  That’s how I also solved problems.  It can scare people.  Lots of silence, then a series of moves.  As some have found out.

One of my favorite historical characters was the Japanese warrior-philosopher Miyamoto Musashi.  Already a good swordsman, he realizes he has much to think and work on.  He goes into a forest for several years by himself to meditate and learn.  When he comes out, he has perfected his skills and ends up being unbeaten in combat.  He eventually writes The Book of Five Rings, a book on strategy, conflict, and faith that has inspired, influenced many – including Bruce Lee and John Boyd.

The prophet Elijah does not find God in the wind, earthquake, or fire but in the silence.  Looking back, I had a lot of silent periods, even when surrounded by others.  Probably learned more than in a classroom.

On the other hand, there is Shusaku Endo’s book Silence (movie by Scorsese), a most depressing work where God is seemingly silent in the face of tragic circumstances.