On our way back from school yesterday, I was telling my brother an experience I had the previous day. Just before getting to what I thought was the peak of the gist, he exclaimed, "Ah!" I thought he was reacting to my story. To my amazement he added: "I like the design of that car that just passed." It then dawned on me that he was not listening. Without further "warning" I abruptly ended the story, and shyly joined in the rather new but odd discussion.
Some thoughts then flashed into my head. It seems there is a connection between silence and listening. Of course, we can only listen when we are silent. But to be quiet is not the same as to be silent. My brother was quiet while I was telling the story, but he was grossly distracted internally; he was not silent. Hence, he was not listening. What do you think? Which do we need in meditative prayer, silence or quietness?
