Today I had a ‘silent’ day. I thought it would be interesting to see how difficult it is to not talk, and to avoid the noise and distraction of TV and music. It was very difficult.

Even though I was on my own, I still slipped up and spoke aloud a bunch of times. Trying to be silent opened my eyes to how often I talk to myself to organize my thoughts, provide a pep talk or express anger and frustration.

And I talk to my cats ALL THE TIME. When I see them, I say hello. It’s automatic. Cats in the wild are not vocal like domestic cats. They become more vocal, with cries and meows, to get the attention of their people. So today my cats are experiencing life more like a wild cat.

I’m experiencing a quiet evening. Without the television to distract me, I am realizing how tired I am and how much I need sleep. I’m planning on a hot bath and an early bedtime.

Today’s silence has confirmed that achieving a still mind is a worthy goal to pursue. I’ve always wanted to meditate regularly. Maybe when I’m 40…