I think it was my Grade 7 teacher who used to say, “silence is golden.” As a child, I remember thinking that it was overrated, but as an adult I’ve come to crave silence.

I have a good friend who often sits in her car in the driveway for five or ten minutes after she’s returned home from running errands or driving the kids wherever. She turns off the engine and just sits there. There have been days when we’ve just sat there together, lost in the silence for a few minutes before moving on to the next item on the “to-do” list. Often we chat about how much better we feel after we do this. How about you? What’s your comfort level with silence? This article extols the benefits of silence with some suggestions on how to make room for it in your life.

On a closing note, there’s a story in the Toronto Star about a woman who had her laptop stolen while visiting her father in hospital. The computer contained precious family photos. So, just a friendly reminder to those of you with care recipients who are in and out of health care facilities on a regular basis - protect your valuables and don’t hesitate to speak up if you see something that just doesn't look right.

Thanks for checking in today!