In hearing that public schools will be observing moments of silence each morning, I was reminded of the moment of silence held last spring for the Virginia Tech shooting while I was working at a local elementary school.

That moment of silence brought up healthy discussions among teachers, mostly shock in finding themselves not knowing what to do amidst the silence, amazement in how chaotic their minds were and yet joyfulness to have such a moment of calmness.

Sure, a moment won’t alone bring lasting calmness to faculty and students throughout the day, but it can be an opening for some into the nature of our conditioned mind. Not everyone will be as self-reflective and many will dislike the silence and choose to remain busy to avoid it, but for those that choose to face the initial unrest, a beautiful world as it is awaits.

Most faculty and students won’t have support to help with the unrest that the silence will create, but that doesn’t mean the silence should be avoided, nor can it be. Silence means disruption. If children don’t encounter it in their own experience during moments of quietness, they are bound to encounter it in first seeing the sick, aged and suffering.

The unrest will ensue, and it’s only through facing the unrest that one may learn to live/rest in peace.

We can learn to live in peace now or wait till we’re literally resting in our grave. Our choice.

Paul Holze

University alumnus ’06