I spent many years early in life searching for the truth. I studied all of the great philosophies, traditions, and religions of the world. Each discovery fascinated me and invited me to dive deeper into my studies. Throughout those years, I found common ground in our vastly diverse world of ideas and evidence to address the common longings shaped by the traditions, languages, and cultures that have evolved over time. Truth is an ancient quest; even the meaning of the word itself has changed over time.

It is with great irony, then, that I find in my senior years great peace in not knowing, in the vast mystery that permeates existence. It is enough to trust that God is greater than current thought. Consider Psalms 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God.” In my youth, this verse spoke to me as a treatise against worry and strife. Indeed, it is so, but in adulthood, I find much more meaning in the rich symbolism and allegory present in this passage. Is silence a path to knowing? Is it possible to directly experience God?

Perhaps this is the truth that all mystics and contemplatives from the world’s great religions have understood. There is a truth beyond the current limits of the human mind. We find God waiting in the silence of being.

I no longer feel the pressure of believing the ‘right’ dogma, following the correct path, or listening to the various voices of assurance or dissent. In the void between the ideas, in the vast space of silence, I can hear God speak louder than words. Only in God’s presence can I truly know.