since last night, i have only spoken when necessary (at work). all in all, once we finish and "break the silence" together in nashville tonight at 8:00, i will have spoken only a total of about an hour for a 25 hour period. that's still a great accomplishment.
anyone who knows me, knows i can be a talker. i love human interaction. today has made me realize how much more we are capable of interacting with one another without using speech. i've even prohibited myself from singing or talking to myself, which i do more often than i realized!
i purposefully made a few stops today so i could share my information cards with others.
i began my day with a java chip frappacino at starbucks. the cashier smiled when i gave him the card and my hand-written order, but i also figure he probably thinks i'm nuts. hopefully he'll look at the website later.
during my workshop today, i interacted when necessary, but for the most part i remained silent. i gave the other 12 people an information card. the presenter shared my note so that everyone would know what i was doing. it was neat because i learned that she has a friend from the congo who goes back frequently and does mission work there. we now have a new connection.
on the way home i made a target stop. i was sort of hungry (we worked through lunch so that we could leave at 2:00) so i went to the snack counter. i gave the lady an information card. then i showed her a note asking for breadsticks. (you know, pizza hut in target was a great idea!) what made me laugh inside was the fact that she answered my question as if i were deaf. she used hand motions and spoke loud and choppy. it was my favorite encounter all day. i still chuckle just thinking about it.
tonight we'll either have hot pockets or hot dogs because i haven't been to the grocery in about 8 days, and eating out is sort of difficult when you can't talk.
i'm really excited about the experience that is going to take place tonight. as of right now, $1,587,092 has been raised! TONS of people across the country will gather tonight. over 300 people in nashville will meet at david lipscomb university starting at 6:30. the event starts at 7:30. the silence will break at 8:00. registering that many people and gathering that many people IN SILENCE will be more than i can comprehend right now. i look forward to writing about that experience as well!
our lives become so cluttered with things and noise. listening is rewarding. the quiet is peaceful. i'm noticing sounds i never knew existed. i'm aware of ways in which i sometimes cause more confusion and chaos with my words, rather than prevent it. my Spirit is alive.
He tells us to "be still and know that I am God." i know that full well today.
