Ever enter a room with bad atmospherics and an imposed silence? I have. And on looking back there is a common element–silence is enforced because of issues demanding an airing but that people are reluctant to address out of fear of making existing relationships worse rather than better. Out-and-out foes do not have this problem because when they meet sparks fly–there is no smoldering beneath the surface. I have found that the best approach to imposed silence is to prayerfully address the situation later in solitude. This leads to mapping out the factors involved with goodwill, humility, and lucidity. It leads to patience and insight as to how issues can best be addressed in a manner that will amplify mutuality of purpose and interests rather than introducing further division.
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