The sound of silence

This writing prompt came up:

“What personality trait in people is a red flag for you?”

People who talk a lot. That’s an immediate red flag for me. It sets off every alarm bell.

It doesn’t really matter what they talk about, although it’s obviously worse if they can’t stop talking about themselves. But even when it’s something I’m genuinely interested in, I find it exhausting in the long run.

I get tired. And that tiredness is amplified by knowing it’ll lead to a social hangover.

They say we were born with two ears and one mouth so we’d listen more than we speak. I wish that was true.

We can discover and learn so much just by listening more. By paying attention. Even silence can offer insights, if we’re willing to listen closely.

We’ve all experienced that moment when we honor someone who’s passed away with a minute of silence. It’s as if the silence speaks louder than any words. That’s the sound of silence.

Hello darkness, my old friend
I’ve come to talk with you again
Because a vision softly creeping
Left its seeds while I was sleeping
And the vision that was planted in my brain
Still remains
Within the sound of silence