"The word is born in silence, and silence is the deepest response to the word." These words from Catholic priest Henri Nouwen suggest that talking begins in silence, allowing us time to reflect. It is all too easy to say the first thing that comes to mind, rather than to look more deeply to see what is in the heart. Consciously being quiet and asking what wants to be said next is a discipline that yields wonderful fruit.
— Kay Lindahl, The Sacred Art of Listening