Weekly Writing Challenge – The Sound of Silence – 17 FEB 2014

THE CHALLENGE

There are multiple ways of interacting with silence: purposefully leaving something unsaid, breaking the silence around a topic, or, quite simply, getting tongue-tied. For this week’s challenge, we want you to take the theme of silence and explore it in your own way.

At a loss for words? Here’s a few ideas to get you going this week:

• Breaking the silence: is there a post you’ve been chewing on in your mind for a while, but have been nervous to publish? Break your own silence by getting it out there.
• Is there something you left unsaid, but regret? Tell us about a time when you didn’t say what was on your mind, but wish you had.
• Write a story, but leave out someone’s voice. What changes? What type of storyline can you tell with silence acting as a character? (Hey, even Jay and Silent Bob are a pretty good example of this.)
• Take the challenge to real life: how long can you actually stay silent? An hour, a whole day? If you’re able to take on a day of silence, or have in the past, tell us about what the experience has been like.

**************

My dad and I had a really hard time with communication. So much so that at times silence was more abundant than words of admiration or acceptance. I used to blame my dad for a lot of things, including not making me feel as if what I did was ever enough. It took me years to understand that while he did not voice it, he probably did feel proud of what I accomplished.

There is nothing like perspective to widen your view. Fourteen years of silence since my dad died also makes for a great opportunity to understand what he did not say and what it likely meant. Don’t get me wrong, my dad was a good, honest and moral man. He taught me how to live in this world and become a respectable, hard working part and for that I will be forever grateful.

Add to that my position as the father of two children and it gives you another flavor of perspective. The difference is that I am not silent about telling my children I love them am proud of them and that I believe in them. They have heard me cheering for them at ball games, dance recitals and marching band competitions. I have rarely missed any event they have at their school and hope all that translates into feelings of support from me and my wife.

Silence can be an effective tool and as my son transitions to an adult I am learning when to hold my tongue and allow him to make his own choices. Will he always avoid mistakes? No. He will fail, like we all have. But I want him to know my silence is not surrendering my role, but rather allowing him to explore his new freedoms.

More Silence posts:

1. The Sound of Silence | Through the Peacock’s Eyes
2. Listen to the silence | Master Of Disaster
3. Weekly Writing Challenge: The Sound of Silence | JGTravels
4. Eight Things I Wish I Knew Before I Taught at a Boarding School | Kosher Adobo
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6. underwood | yi-ching lin photography
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8. Moments | anonim0us
9. Moments | anonim0us
10. Silent Agony | Broken Light: A Photography Collective
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13. Weekly Writing Challenge: The Sound of Silence | A mom’s blog
14. Hug Her Back | Fish Of Gold
15. Media Blackouts Insult My Intelligence | Bumblepuppies
16. As Loud as Silence | Chimerical Chicanery
17. Unspeakable | Musings of a Soul Eclectic
18. Aborted Words | The Backwords
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20. yesterday’s snow lets | y
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30. Classy Broad
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