The Gift of Silence



Getting to this trailhead had taken us over a gravel road that my son Tommy declared was like the surface of the moon—complete with deep craters. It was too dark to see into the woods as we drove further.

After reaching our destination, Tommy and his childhood friend, Josh, didn’t delay. They hefted 50-pound backpacks for a five-day adventure in the Olympic Mountains.

It was just after six in the morning. My husband and I stood in the dark, watching the hiker’s headlamps disappear on a trail we could barely see.

They’d have no cell service. No interruptions from an intrusive world. They would climb and then descend three mountain passes and forge through densely wooded valleys. Those were their challenges for the week.

As their headlamps and voices faded into the woods, I thought about my hiking days. I’d unplug from the world, but this was long before Wi-Fi went with us everywhere. Back then, silence was a gift. Now it’s a rare treasure.



I cannot begin to imagine how much more young people have to digest with a daily diet of social media. Very few can disconnect and give their minds a break.

But take heart, you don’t need to hike deep into the wilderness to disconnect. Just log off social media. Your mind deserves a break from this weary world.

Long ago, the Apostle Paul gave us a way to disconnect from the negative:


“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of respect, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if something is excellent or praiseworthy, think about these things.”  Philippians 4:8

May your heart find rest in what is pure, lovely, and lasting. 

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