I don't know what I did before my remote control included the fast forward and pause buttons. Now I think nothing or rewinding a show to watch a particular scene again or pause a show if I get a phone call. It is that pause button that got me thinking about how important a brief stop can be in our lives. It doesn't have to be long, but taking a moment in a stressful or uncomfortable situation may keep you from putting your foot in your mouth or hurting someone else's feeling.

But why don't we do it more often? One reason is that our culture values quickness and in some instances equates a fast (and often witty or biting) reply with being smart. So are we risking being thought of as dumb? I don't think so. Another more compelling reason we're less likely to pause is that we are uncomfortable with silence. Because in the quiet we are forced to consider the situation we're facing, the conclusion we've drawn or the truth we'd rather not hear. There is power in the pause if we use it properly—as an opportunity to ponder before we pounce.

So I want to issue a challenge to you all. Look for the chance to pause. Get comfortable with those brief moments of silence and learn to relish them. Imagine that the pause is as necessary as say a stop sign. Use these times to gather your thoughts before you say the thing that doesn't need to be said.

Stop Signs by adobemac on flickr.com