Those who speak much are not necessarily possessed of wisdom.
The wise can be seen
to be at peace with life
and free from all enmity and fear.
Dhammapada v. 258
At times it feels as if we are obliged to have an opinion about absolutely everything. What happens if, however, instead of habitually voicing our opinion on a particular topic, we resolutely remain quiet and listen; intentionally listen outwards to what is being said by others and listen inwards to our own minds. It can be hard to feel at peace with the world, especially with so much disruption around us. We can still contribute skilfully by training our attention to gently listen. In the process we might, for example, learn how noisy we make our minds by endlessly agreeing and disagreeing with all that we hear. Not having an opinion on something does not necessarily indicate weakness. With right restraint perhaps a kind of peace could emerge out of the chaos.
