IT'S THE SMALL THINGS
After spending a week in the wilderness in Botswana — from the Okavango Delta to the Makgadikgadi Salt Pans — returning to civilization, if you will, where one need to no longer hike to a single spot for cellular signal, and where it is no longer sparse, can be a bit overwhelming. To think, it is the reality we are used to, and the world we live in everyday. But coming from a place, and state so tranquil and calm, I was reminded of something I oftentimes forget: the importance of tuning out and turning down the (unnecessary) noise.
In the midst of what our guide called “the great nothingness” in the middle of the Kalahari Desert on the greatest span of salt pans in Africa, we were asked to pick a spot — to look at the stars, and to just listen to the silence. In the midst of a vast, wide and open space with absolutely nothing, except for us, the people who were there. It seemed almost surreal at that point, at the same time, but a humbling reminder of how tiny we are — but a spec — in the grander scheme of things.
It brought to my attention a very striking irony: how loud, in fact, silence truly is. The sound of silence, in reality can be deafening. Silence speaks volumes, sometimes even more than words. The sheer absence of sound gives way to thoughts that have once escaped you suddenly clouding and overwhelming your mind. The loss of words then presents room for your imagination to run wild. All of a sudden, you are taken over by thoughts grander than you once realized you were capable of processing. It is now a mattering of filtering what matters, and escaping the unwanted noise.
Because silence in fact can also be very calming. The tranquility gifts you with the priceless gift of peace — a state of mind so rare in this otherwise excruciatingly busy world we live in. When one obtains inner peace, and is able to reconcile this with the peaceful exteriors of his/her surroundings, the harmony and synchrony of the two at any given time is but a gift we are often deprived of in the hustle and bustle of life. But one we are too busy to even notice we are missing, let alone, lacking.
In the midst of the vast greatness of nothingness I was reminded of the importance of finding your place in this world, and making your mark on this earth. The value of authenticity, and sticking with what and those who truly matter to you. And while we will never be given the regular opportunity to escape to the great salt pans, we do have the choice to hide once in a while from all the noise around us. Remember, we owe it to ourselves to re-ground, re-focus and de-clutter our very selves and beings from time to time.