The Much Needed Silence

I walked a few miles at the Lombang Lombang Beach, West Sulawesi. T’was bizzare: no noise at all, not even a hum of a person.

I was certain this island has a lesson to teach me, but I didn’t know.

As far as I remembered, my life has been a series of meetings and juggling between work and life. The so-called balance was just another busyness in different forms.

I never encouraged myself to be silent.

Or at least, my environment never allowed such luxury to occur.

Life in Sulawesi is stark different.

The people were quiet.

The towns were dim.

The nature was constant (I was about to say boring until I realized that they have their own beauty in their uniformity).

I walked again to enjoy the nature.

Yet something is inviting. The urge to be present was apparent. However much I tried to distract myself with planning and thinking (more of worrying), the slowness of the nature asked me to pause.

Look closer.

Notice that even the smallest fish has something to offer.

Then I stopped.

They were right.

Amidst all the juggles I’ve tried to get myself busy with, Sulawesi invited me to breathe and see closer.

That day I realized again.

Life has much more than I know to offer.