Being in safe mode

By Klaus Döring

After several days staying in Manila with an amazing schedule, I am finally back in my beloved Davao City. Thank you Lord.  Right now, while writing this piece, I am, so to say, in “safe mode”.

Innumerable meetings but also invitations from different diplomatic institutions made me really breathless. On the other hand, I also did enjoy every single minute. But now, I am in safe mode indeed!

From time to time I love silence. I love quietness. – Do you observe that we live in a real frightening loud world? At every corner of our daily life are innumerable chances of being covered up with sometimes unbearable din and noise. The loud outcry gives us the needle. We don’t have nerves of steel forever.

I am not really a fan of going out at night. My stay in Manila was packed full with night events I was invited to and  people are getting more and more interested in Mindanao. Very good!

Right now, I am enjoying the nicest occurrence which is the silence, the intimate taciturnity, which can even “weld” people or partners together. It might sound just like an idiomatic expression, but believe me; not being forced to talk is great! No, I don’t mean that we have nothing to say to each other any more – or, he or she won’t listen to a special reason… . I am talking about a deep understanding between people, who are together and are able to share time in quiet and silent happiness.

After those long and strenuous days in Manila, is it a real big comfort to sit and lean back, read all the (old!) newspapers and magazines from the last days and weeks while enjoying a glass of wine and a handful peanuts while having a smooth radio program in the background, instead a “roars to hell” television show.

Try it. It’s indeed relaxing after traffic woes, the heat and dust of the day, telephones’ ringing, and machine rattling.

Feeling safe and secure, inseparable, indestructible with peace in our minds and our surroundings, this is what we really mean to each other, understanding without words. At home, maybe somewhere in the garden, at a beach – there are many wonderful places. And, suddenly out of the blue from the bottom of our heart and from the depth of comfort and ease, we might be able to speak about things, which couldn’t be discussed earlier. A good talk grows – but without compulsion or constraint or obligation, desperate or being forced.

Try it, and it might feel like walking hand-in-hand on a lonely sand beach, such as “once upon a time” with our first partner. And, unexpectedly: we become silent again AND thankful for it.

We really seldom take a break. We spend too much time in this terrible and frightful loud world.

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