Silence

The summer months approaching. April showers will certainly lead to May flowers. My thoughts turn to the mountains. Summer in Teton County. I think my favorite part of being in the backcountry is the silence. It is so quiet there.

One can find silence in a multitude of places. I have found silence in the city - the occasional train, siren automobile in the background. One must navigate the intrusions and look.

Some time ago, I was given a book. The gift was appreciated. The book placed on a shelf, in an area that is designated for “when I have time.” The title of the book, “Silence” written by best-selling author Thich Nhat Hahn. The subtitle. “The Power of Quiet in a World Full of Noise”. This is not a recommendation for the book. It just struck me that the world we live in is very noisy right now. Perhaps, that is why I cherish my summers in the Teton County backcountry. I picked up the book.

The book was insightful. I enjoyed the opening pages. The concepts were very useful to me, particularly “consciousness” as food for our mind.

The story, I have often shared with clients and friends, is about a client named Cecil. Cecil was a smart man, a CPA by trade. He came to me early in my career, and asked, “how anyone could make money in the market?” I asked how he was approaching the market, what his discipline was. In those days, the only 24-hour news was CNN. He explained, “I watch CNN, read the Wall Street Journal, then decide what to buy”. I suggested he mute the TV and continue watching if he chose. My guess was that he was being influenced so much by the broadcast, he was losing sight of reason. The wager was, if his returns improved, I would get to manage his accounts. It was a pleasure to manage his assets until he passed away.

The point of this story is to understand things that are influencing your life, sometimes unknowingly.

Silence is a refuge in a world full of noise.

Hahn suggests there are four nutrients we take in each day: Edible food, sense perceptions, volition, and consciousness. Depending on what or how much we consume, all of these can be healthy or unhealthy, nourishing or toxic.

My suggestion is to be more conscious of what one consumes. Silence may facilitate the trip you are going to take, or the mountain peak you once climbed. The beauty of the Tetons towering over the place we call Red Barn. Healthy, or unhealthy?

…I have a date with Silence.