River Girls Soap & Bath Sometimes Blog ;-)

day 4

Courting Silence While Pouring Soap

 Blackberry Sage Soap, Made May 24

When I was younger, much younger, I worked with other professionals in think tanks and a foundation. Often, I was researching, writing or speaking for others, all with the wonderful urgency and belief that we could diminish societal ails. We could make the uneducated and alone less isolated or more whole.

Sometimes, a colleague from that life will ask, "Don't you miss the daily interactions?" The truth is-- a bit-- but not entirely. In most places I would invariably slip into the role of listener. Even when the pay became loftier and I was rendering judgement on someone else's thinking or policies, I was still the listener, the watcher of body language and the tones of voices. 

With parenting and children comes years of what I call "V Talk", voluminous, vociferous, vomitous talk. Sure, you're listening. You're watching their tone, their body language, their temperature--literally and figuratively, but frankly, you talk constantly. Then one day, when you are confident enough, and the hard work truly has been done, you simply turn and say, "I'm not going to repeat this again." And you do not.

In soaping and narrative writing, both which demand a degree of creativity, silence is  the jewel that dazzles. The quiet allows the push asunder of the blah, blah, blah, blah.

How about a wee dose of  Shut the Hell Up"?

I was recently brought back to that belief while watching one of the young children in the bridal party of Prince William and Kate Middleton. As the  jubilant throngs cheered below the balcony, she raised and cupped her small hands to her ears as though to say, "Enough with this bloody ruckus. Get me to a quiet place."  

Whatever you do, find yours.

~Wanda


wanda fleming, 2011
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