S.i.l.e.n.t = L.i.s.t.e.n
When someone makes the time to say “thank you” to you, does make you feel happy?
The gesture alone can give a big grin. I wasn’t going to write a piece for June but hearing this comment: “Thanks Patrick for your article. I enjoyed the parts about change”. As you can tell, that made me change my mind!
The physical and social changes around our communities have been prominent. The impacts have been strong – both in good ways and negative ways. Looking back at the recent events, is a bit like walking up a big local hill - Danebury Rings with achy legs, and then looking back and taking in how far you have gone and the beautiful views.
With the changes in our communities, you might have found it harder to make time to take in what is happening around you which is positive. How many times have you taken in the negative changes, such as congestion your local High Street and not taken in the ‘thanks’ from the driver who you allowed to take their parking spot? That is a normal response as we get busier, and more distracted.
Another way to describe the words ‘take in’ is ‘listen’. Yes, L.I.S.T.E.N. These busier times are harder to listen to our positive moments because of the distractions in our minds and the distractions around us.
Recently, I read a lovely tip from a book called ‘God’s Plan for your Wellbeing’ by Dave Smith. Dave talks about Wellbeing in all part of our lives – Physical, Mental, Emotional, Financial, Relational, and Vocational. I recommend it. He gives a good tip how to listen through by using an anagram: take the letters from ‘Listen’ to create the word ‘Silent’. We find it harder to listen amongst the noise of these busier changes. He refers to the story of Elijah: it is only after an earthquake and fire when he can hear God talking in a ‘gentle whisper’. Making time for silence makes it easier for us to take in and notice our positive moments. Listening can also help us understanding the real situation.
Sometimes we are forced to make the time and listen, but it can benefit us: in 2013, my family and I had just come back to the UK after living in Paris, and were undergoing big stressful changes. After we arrived, we quickly realised that we needed to get our kids into school and thankfully found a good school. The only problem was that we needed to go a local church to register them. We Googled a local church and found St Mary’s Bryanston Square. We put the next Sunday into our diary to go as soon as we could. At the beginning of the service, the vicar, John, welcomed everyone to the church to “meet new people, or get back into autumn mode, or have free coffee, or get your kids into the local school” - I repeat:
“get your kids into THE local school”.
We had never spoken to anyone at the church before, let alone him! I told him that story in 2019 and he laughed saying that he had never said before or after! We made time to attend that service for one piece of change, and got so much more. After this, I also went to that church more and took so much more away. And, in case you wanted to know: our kids got into that local school!
As you go into the summer of June and July make time to take in your positive changes, especially if you are on Danebury Rings! Listening is like warming up and stretching before a game and get into action!
If you want to chat with me or ask me any questions.
Silence, before the sound begins
Thank you to - Alor Griffiths on Unsplash for the photo.