silence and pain

"'One learns of the pains of others by suffering one's own pain [. . .], by turning inside oneself, by finding one's own soul. And it is important to know of pain [. . .]. It destroys our self-pride, our arrogance, our indifference toward others. It makes us away of how frail and tiny we are and of how much we must depend upon the Master of the Universe.'" ~ The Chosen, by Chaim Potok

Silence and solitude literally force this interaction. They teach us to "look into [ourselves . . .], to walk around inside [ourselves] in company with [our] souls. [. . .] the heart speaks through silence." (ibid)

Loneliness is painful, but a great teacher.