Choose to be MUTE here, are we now??? Translated…
A few years ago, I’d met a dent in my life, and, my friend mentioned how there was an artist, in order to spark his own inspirations, he’d decided to plant in the fields for two months, walk for two months, and stop talking for two months.
After hearing this, it’d made me, willing to try new things, to try it too, without stop speaking at all, I’d feared that I won’t last the entire sixty days, so, I’d cut the time down, to just thirty, and started this experiment on myself.
The First Challenge of My Stop Speaking, Quitting My Job
The month of not talking, the first thing I needed to do, was to quit my job.
Just so, that I’m stalled by life, plus, I’d gotten a little amount of money saved up, and I’d bravely handed in my resignation papers. When my manager heard the reasons for me quitting, his mouth fell, wide open. Actually, I’m doubtful too, but, I’d made my decisions already. I believe, that those who dared venturing out, will have the chance, of receiving the treasures.
My not speaking at all is not keeping myself locked up in the house all day, instead, take up my regular routines, just not talking is all. I’d gone to the post office as I usually had, the supermarkets, the library, the marketplaces………and, if in the process, I couldn’t communicate with others using charade, I’d used pen and paper instead. What’s interesting was, that my friends and families who could use their mouths, under my influences, they’d also returned my inquiries with written statements too, and forgot about how they’re not banned from talking.
As I’d started practicing not talking, I felt so much relaxed. From before, I’d had to pay close attention to the words that others were saying to me, to make the proper replies back to them. After I’d stopped speaking, a lot of things, I’d managed to resolve with smiles and silence, and my mouth got its much needed rest, and, I’d avoided the unnecessary troubles and arguments too.
The neighbors thought I had a serious cold, and they’d all come to console with me; the strangers thought I was deaf, and would often offer me their help; when I go shopping, the cashiers would skip through those who were hollering so loudly in front of me, and helped me, who’s silent first. All of these, made me realized, that through silence, I’d gained more, compared to when I’d asked, and fought for what I’d wanted in life.
But, there would be interludes from time to time too. For instance, I’d gone to the marketplace to buy some fruits, the vendors were too busy and forgot to give me my change, it was a huge amount too. When I’d anxiously tried to convey to the vendor that he forgot to give me my change, gesturing to him, as I’d almost blurted out something, the vendor got a wake up knock, and, handed me my change.
In Reducing the Spoken Words, It’d Helped My Mind Stay Clear
After I’d closed this door called my mouth, my body opened up the two extra windows, my eyes and my ears for me. What I’d neglected to notice from before, now, entered into my vision automatically, and my ears too, became more aware as well, and I’d started feeling, that people on television were all getting worked up for nothing, and it’d become cacophony to my ears. That felt like the “taste” of my ears became blander now.
Being silent allowed me to have more time to deal with myself, to get to know myself better, with this reduction of verbal communication, my mind is cleaner. Because of the wonderful effects, I’d started practicing NOT talking for an entire month each and every year, so my body and my mind can clear itself up, to return myself to zero again. Like the trees that weathered through the harshness of winter, after the period of no verbal communication ends, I’d felt full of energy, ready, to embrace the springtime.
Last December was the fifth year I’d stopped talking, this time, it was, sort of different, as I’d practiced my silence, I was, traveling.
I’d taken the bus all the way to the southern regions, as I was transferrin in the station in Miaoli, I’d heard two migrant workers singing outside the stations. A lot of people had, passed them quickly, had it been from before, I’d probably neglected to notice too, but this time, I was drawn, to their songs, I was intoxicated by the music they’re performing, every time a song was done, I’d given them applauses. Before I left them, I’d gone to the super convenience stores, and bought two drinks for them, thanked them for using their beautiful voice, to make my silent journey more colorful.
And because the way from Miaoli to Douliou, the MRT cards couldn’t be used, so I had to go to the counters to get the tickets, I wrote down the starting station and the terminal station, until as I was about to exit the stations, I wanted to get a stamp, as a souvenir, I’d shockingly discovered, that the ticket I’d bought was of a handicapped individual’s………the ticket salesperson from Miaoli mistook my identity.
And just so, I’d used my silent ways, traveled for four days and three nights between Taipei and Kaohsiung, and, because of my dining, my living, my traveling, I’d crossed paths with more strangers. What’s magical was, everybody was passionate on helping me out, it’d made me feel that I was cared for. But, I wasn’t trying, to gain their compassion at all, having this sort of a result, was OUT of my expectations when I’d first started. All I can say, is that it’d proved, that the best scene in Taiwan IS the people!
The experiment of not talking is worth a shot, if you can’t afford to do it for an entire month, then, try it for a week, five days, three days, or even, just for one day, so long as you’re willing to try it, just once, you’d know, that allowing the language production line to rest a while, is such a wonderful thing.
So, this, is someone, trying something different, because he got tired, of hearing the voices, besides, when you talk, you don’t get to listen, so, this man chose to stay silent, and, in the end, he’d gained a better understanding of himself, as well as that he’d felt the warmth of the world around him, that he never knew existed before.
Life, the Obstacle Course 