I find great nourishment in the Silence. It soothes my soul when I'm feeling agitated. It clears my mind when I'm confused. It opens my whole being to a broader perspective and previously hidden possibilities. It anchors me in a way nothing else does.

Because spending time tuning in to the vast stillness of the universe is such a rich experience for me, I've noticed that our rapidly changing technology—the very devices that help us multitask, connect and remain constantly on the go—is pulling us away from that which gives depth and meaning to our lives. It's a different world for kids growing up today.

Have you watched a teenager text message a friend, while listening to favorite music on an iPod, while playing an electronic game, and trying to carry on a conversation, all at the same time? There's no down time anymore.

We're always plugged in to something. While attending the South Central Unity
Church Association (SCUCA) Conference, a woman told me about her six-year-old grandson. He had just started first grade and said to her, “It's so noisy. The kids won't stop talking. They talk when the teacher is talking, they talk while they're reading, they talk all the time. I need more quiet.”

He went on, “When recess came, I went way out to the other side of the play ground, sat down behind a bush, and I meditated.” Wow! Now that's a child who knows who he is, what he needs, and how to get it.

What will our culture become if no one remembers how to sit still and listen to the small but mighty voice that informs us out of the Silence? How will we know what people really want and need if no one takes time to ask? What will our world become if we are too busy to care for each other and for the world around us?

Our Unity youth education programs might hold a key to the piece of education that is missing in the lives of our youth. Kids who attend Unity Sunday schools develop curiosity, self confidence, creativity, connection and caring for each other, respect for the world around them, an appreciation for diversity, and the ability to step back from the busy plugged-in world and be still for a few moments.

This results in kids (and eventually adults) who are confident, innovative and filled with a joy for living. Yes, of course, it has to do with choice. Our choices. But if we—and our children, and our grandchildren—are trained as adrenalin junkies, there may be a time when we are physically unable to choose to be still and aren't capable of patience. We have to act now … while we can remember what it's like to be still.

When life is moving too fast, pause and take a deep breath. Choose to take a little time to be still, every day. Be an advocate for downtime. Teach your children, and their children, to do nothing. Introduce your kids and grandkids to Unity Sunday School, Uniteens and Youth of Unity (Y.O.U.).

Ah, yes. A deep breath. A little peace and quiet. This is it. Now Spirit has room to move. Spirit is rising. This is how we cocreate a world that works for all.

This article is from the February/March 2009 issue of Contact Magazine.

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