It’s not something anyone said when I was a child, but something very often heard when I became the mother of young children. It’s a reminder that high volume isn’t necessary in enclosed spaces. But there’s an assumption in these words that isn’t stated and often isn’t true: that the one who speaks with a quiet voice will be heard and listened to. Hearing doesn’t guarantee listening – a truth many toddlers are painfully acquainted with.
Still, small voices are often drowned out by louder and larger ones. Being overlooked and ignored can come with devastating consequences – it’s often what the holy, lovely, and precious experience. The wondrous is ignored and discarded in favor of the merely loud and obvious.
Today, Lord, help me listen to the quiet voices that sing of your love. May I recognize a quiet truth when it speaks. Amen.
[This is one in the series, Every School Day. For more, click “Every School Day” above]
My reaction is to just clam up rather than get into a “loud voice” (shouting match-ish) contest–others may feel the same way– which is a good reminder that we can miss a kernel–maybe a whole corn on the cob–of truth when we find ourselves in these “matches”. Of course, this assumes what I had to say before clamming up had some validity. Possibly, possibly not but it does remind me that someone else clamming up might. Ah, hearing vs. listening. We can waste so much time by not taking the time to listen.
So true, Bill – but I’ve found that you listen rather than just hear…peace, Johnna
I agree with you Bill about “listening”. What an amazing experience it is to really listen, unconditionally, to another person telling his/her story.