Over the weekend I happened upon this sign near a yoga studio in Washington, D.C. I have to admit, at one point in my life, I would have considered this corny and hokey. Not so much anymore. Thanks to yoga and maturity I have come to relish my time alone. I am highly aware of the moments when I need silence to recharge. I like to stay busy, but I know that in order to be my best in those busy moments, I also need quiet. Sometimes it’s yoga or reading or long walks or baking.

I’m from the south and I do love to talk. But, I have no problem staying silent in conversations if I need to. My silence allows me to process conversations and listen, truly listen to what people are saying and then respond appropriately. I noticed I was doing this while out with friends the other night and someone asked me if I was ok. I totally was. Silence was what I needed at that point. It wasn’t that I was being rude or not attending to the conversations. Quite the opposite. I was taking it all in and by the end of the night I was arguing over educational theory!

Silence is underrated.

But, in December, when schedules are crazy, school programs abound and our to-do lists get longer and longer, I hope we all find some moments to be silent and reflect and listen and find answers.